Shinichi Takahashi
Japanese, 1917 - 1986Among Trees B, 1958
Not on view
Woodcut on paper
Dimensions13 3/16 × 17 3/4 in.
Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson in memory of Mr. Robert Martin Purcell, 1979.42
This work by Shinichi Takahashi captures the forest through bold abstraction. Angular shapes and overlapping planes suggest the outline of tree trunks and leaves, reducing the natural world to simplified forms.
Takahashi was active in the sōsaku-hanga (creative prints) movement, in which artists designed, carved, and printed their works themselves rather than relying on the collaborative system of traditional woodblock printing. The layered colors and fractured patterns show the artist’s modern sensibility while still honoring the deep connection between Japanese printmaking and the natural landscape.
