Portrait of a Boy exemplifies Sekino's renowned ability to convey the inner life of young subjects with economy and directness. Numbered from a limited hand-pulled edition, every impression carries the mark of the artist's personal involvement. Values generally range from $350-$1,000.
Dated 1961, this intimate portrait isolates a boy's head and shoulders against a plain ground, giving the face room to carry the entire weight of the composition. Sekino's knife work in the face is unusually fine for this period, tracing the soft contours of youth with a restraint that avoids sentimentality. The work typifies his belief that a child's features, honestly observed, needed no narrative embellishment.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Portrait of a Boy was created by Jun'ichiro Sekino (関野準一郎) in 1961.
Portrait of a Boy uses Nishiki-e, Moku-hanga, and Kento, on woodblock print.
Portrait of a Boy depicts children and portraits.
