Almost Symmetric

Almost Symmetric presents a near-mirror arrangement of objects—likely two groupings of fruit or vessels—set against the characteristic velvety darkness of Hamaguchi's mature mezzotint work. The title draws attention to an intentional slight asymmetry: one side of the composition departs subtly from its counterpart, creating visual tension within an otherwise balanced field. Produced in 1994 during his late period, the print demonstrates the artist's sustained mastery of color mezzotint, in which the copper plate is worked from dark to light by selectively burnishing the roughened surface. Light appears to emanate from within each form rather than falling upon it from outside. The near-symmetry of the arrangement invites slow, comparative looking.