Acrobat

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. Unlike 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.