Calmness is a meditative composition that showcases Sekino's ability to evoke emotional states through abstract or semi-abstract forms. The contemplative title invites quiet reflection. As a hand-pulled limited-edition print, it typically commands $200-$700 at auction.
A 1954 print whose single-word title suggests a state of being rather than a scene or action. Sekino's "Calmness" works against the expectation that mid-century Japanese prints should be dramatic or picturesque, instead committing to stillness as a subject in itself. Whether the image depicts a figure, a landscape, or an interior, the title frames it as an emotional condition — and in the postwar period, calmness was something hard won.
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Calmness was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎) in 1954.
Calmness uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Calmness depicts landscapes and abstract.
