Sealion Series: Moon over Sea

This 2023 print from the Sealion Series places sea lions within a nocturnal seascape illuminated by moonlight. Mokuhanga's translucent water-based pigments excel at conveying the cold reflective quality of moonlight on open water, and Moilanen likely builds the night sky through multiple thin impressions of blue-black and deep indigo tones. The moon's reflection across the sea surface would require precise registration across several blocks to maintain coherence. The sea lions emerge as dark, substantial forms against this luminous ground. The subject recalls the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) tradition of pairing animals with evocative natural settings, here transposed to a Nordic coastal environment and nocturnal mood.