65-1

Dated 1965, this early numbered work places Maki Haku at the formative stage of his embossed woodblock practice. The designation 65-1 suggests it was the first resolved print of that year, likely exploring the artist's characteristic pairing of inked flat planes with raised or excavated passages. Maki's process involved embedding plaster or cement into carved blocks and printing under high pressure, so the surface here would carry actual topographic relief. Works from this period often feature dense, compact forms derived from archaic kanji or seal characters, rendered in deep blacks and earth tones against unprinted areas of washi paper. The interaction between the flat ink film and the physical ridges of the block creates shadows that shift with the viewing angle, giving the composition a presence distinct from conventional woodblock printing.