$500–$4,000. Common prints: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Matsubara's bold black-and-white prints are distinctive and sought after. Larger formats command premiums.
This woodblock print takes as its subject the concept of inner strength, an abstract theme that Matsubara translates into visual form. The title suggests a contemplative, possibly figural or symbolic composition that conveys resilience, determination, or spiritual fortitude without relying on narrative illustration. Matsubara's preference for stark black-and-white contrasts serves such abstract subjects well, as the interplay of dark and light can express tension and resolution without literal depiction. The mokuhanga technique adds physical gravity to the concept, since the act of carving a woodblock itself requires sustained force and concentration. The print likely uses bold, simplified forms to embody the title's meaning, trusting the viewer to complete the interpretive circuit between abstract visual form and the named quality of inner resolve.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Inner strength was created by Naoko Matsubara (松原直子).
Inner strength depicts figures and abstract.
