My Dream 1

"My Dream 1" belongs to Sanmonji's recurring exploration of cats as subjects for introspective, oneiric compositions. In keeping with his sosaku hanga practice, the print likely depicts one or more cats in a loosely structured dreamscape, where the boundaries between waking observation and imagination dissolve. Sanmonji's training under Nakayama Tadashi is evident in his controlled deployment of bokashi gradations, which lend atmospheric depth to the background while keeping the feline figures warmly grounded. His carving tends toward simplified, rounded forms that echo folk art traditions without sacrificing technical precision. The palette in this series typically draws on muted earth tones punctuated by soft washes of indigo or vermillion. As the first in a numbered series, this print establishes the compositional premise — the cat as a vessel for reverie — that subsequent works in the sequence develop. Printed on washi with a hand-held baren, the surface carries the characteristic slight texture that distinguishes hand-pulled sosaku hanga from commercial reproduction.