Eizô and Matsuomaru, Shôwa period, dated 1953

The dated edition of Sekino's Eizō and Matsuomaru print, completed in 1953, depicts two brothers from the kabuki classic Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami whose loyalty to opposing lords creates the drama's central conflict. The 1953 date places this work in Sekino's early postwar period, when he was developing the figurative and theatrical subjects that would define much of his middle career. Kabuki costume — the stiff brocade robes, kumadori makeup, and elaborate headgear — presents the woodblock artist with concentrated areas of formal pattern that reward careful registration across multiple blocks. Sekino's approach to such subjects tends toward psychological directness rather than the theatrical glamour associated with traditional actor prints. The pairing of two contrasting figures within a single composition gives the design a structural tension that mirrors the dramatic situation. Printed on washi with mineral-based pigments, the tonal range would be carefully calibrated to distinguish costume fabrics and skin.