Key value factors: As self-carved and self-printed works, sosaku-hanga value is tied to the artist's reputation and edition size. Larger formats, earlier editions, and historically significant works command the highest prices.
Acrobat, a 1916 woodblock print, captures a performer in mid-act, the human body pushed beyond ordinary posture into shapes that defy gravity and comfort. Tobari was drawn to circus and theatrical subjects in this period, finding in acrobatic performance a visual intensity that suited the bold carving of [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga). Unlike [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) artists who relied on professional carvers and printers, Tobari carved and printed this block himself, giving the acrobat's contorted form the directness of a single artist's hand. The result carries the energy of both performances: the acrobat's physical feat and the printmaker's technical one.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Acrobat was created by Kogan Tobari (戸張孤雁) in 1916.
Acrobat depicts figures and daily life.
