Work 616 - Moon and Bird

Date:: 1961
Medium:: Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Dimensions:: 45.7 × 31.8 cm
Edition:: Self-printed
Source:: Minneapolis Institute of Art

Typical Price

$1,000–$10,000. Snow and night scenes tend to command premium prices for this artist. Key value factors: The 'Poem' series is his best-known work. Larger formats and more complex compositions command premiums.

Description

"Work 616 - Moon and Bird" is a sosaku-hanga nature study by Maki Haku, created during the Showa period. This work belongs to the kacho-e (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.

Maki Haku brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.

The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.

This print represents Maki Haku's contribution to the sosaku-hanga tradition during the Showa period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.