Sasajima, Kihei

This woodblock print bears the artist's own name as its title, suggesting it may be a self-portrait, a signature piece, or a cataloging entry that has replaced the original title. If a self-portrait, it would be an unusual addition to Sasajima's body of work, which is dominated by landscapes and Buddhist imagery rather than human figures. The woodblock medium brings a particular honesty to portraiture, as every line is carved in reverse and cannot be easily corrected, requiring decisive commitment to each mark. Sasajima's sosaku-hanga practice, spanning from the late 1940s to the 1980s, produced a substantial body of prints that document his evolving relationship with nature, Buddhist iconography, and the expressive potential of hand-carved and hand-printed woodblock.