![[Path through woods] by Kihei Sasajima — Japanese Woodblock print, ink and color on paper, 1950](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135644.jpg)
[Path through woods]
- Date:
- 1950
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
- Dimensions:
- 42.2 × 55.7 cm
- Edition:
- Self-printed
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Typical Price
$500–$4,000. Common prints: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Sasajima's meditative prints appeal to collectors of both Japanese prints and modern art.
Description
Created in 1950, this ink and color woodblock print on paper shows a path winding through a densely wooded area. The forest interior offered Sasajima a subject that played to his strengths: the rhythmic repetition of tree trunks, the interplay of light filtering through canopy, and the sense of a world enclosed and private. The color palette likely leans toward greens and earth tones, building the woodland atmosphere through layered overprinting. Sasajima's sosaku-hanga method meant he designed, carved, and printed this image himself, giving him complete control over the grain of the woodblock and the pressure of each impression. The path itself functions as a compositional device, drawing the viewer's eye into depth while the surrounding trees press in from either side.
More Prints by Kihei Sasajima
More Landscapes Prints
Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
Woodblock print
The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
[Path through woods] was created by Kihei Sasajima (笹島喜平) in 1950.
[Path through woods] depicts landscapes and trees.
[Path through woods] measures 42.2 × 55.7 cm.