Author of Ice Isle (Hyötö): Portrait of Hagiwara Sakutarö

Medium:: Woodblock print
Edition:: Self-printed
Source:: Honolulu Museum of Art

Typical Price

Fine signed portrait or self-portrait in excellent condition: $5,000–$25,000
Good condition Onchi portrait: $2,000–$8,000
Standard impression: $1,000–$4,000

Description

"Author of Ice Isle: Portrait of Hagiwara Sakutaro" represents Onchi's most celebrated single subject — the poet Hagiwara Sakutaro (1886-1942), whose tormented, intensely personal verse defined modern Japanese poetry. Onchi was deeply drawn to Hagiwara's work and created multiple portraits of the poet in multiple editions and variations. This version identifies the subject through the title of Hagiwara's most celebrated collection, "Ice Island" (Hyoto), connecting the visual portrait to the literary identity. The print's formal qualities — the fragments of the poet's face assembled through expressive mark-making rather than conventional likeness — embody the same poetic sensibility Onchi found in the verse.