Child of the Sea evokes coastal Japan through the eyes of youth, rendered in Sekino's characteristic bold lines and sensitive observation. Numbered editions are typically limited to 30-50 copies. Collectors can expect to pay $250-$700 for this appealing subject.
One of Sekino's earliest figure studies, this 1940 woodblock captures a child silhouetted against a coastal horizon, embodying the windswept independence of Japan's fishing communities. The composition is spare and frontal — a hallmark of Sekino's approach to childhood subjects — with broad areas of flat color conveying both the brightness of sunlight on water and the rugged simplicity of seaside life in pre-war Japan.
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Boshu Taikai
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
September 1931
Color woodblock print; oban
1940
Color woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Child of the Sea was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎) in 1940.
Child of the Sea uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Child of the Sea depicts seascapes and children.
