Details

The title gives the subject away and, for some, such instruction might be necessary. At first glance, this design may appear as a work of abstraction with two pulsing oval beams, one with an eye, competing for the viewers’ attention from a complex, shadowy background. However, after careful consideration the lean profile of a subject’s face looking left can be seen and the eye from the beam is quickly recovered onto the actor’s face. Takumi Shinagawa had many influences and chief among them was the work of Picasso. In this work we can see Picasso’s influence as the image deconstructs itself into a geometric landscape with a biomorphic figure and then quickly emerges whole, as an actor’s profile clad with the drama of stage lighting.

Connoisseur's Note

This design is considered Shinagawa’s masterpiece. It has been reproduced in dozens of reference catalogs illustrating the artist’s work and is often cited as a top example in the genre of Sosaku Hanga. Though Shinagawa went on to enjoy a long career in his 101 years, it is this portrait that is among his most memorable work.