NEEDLEFISH (SAYORI) / Bakufu Ohno
1940

SOLD

$31.00

Needlefish (Sayori)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)

SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1940
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment



SOLD

Needlefish (Sayori)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)

SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1940
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment



SOLD

 
 
 
 
 

Details

This impression offers an opportunity to appreciate the technical sophistication underlying the image. The striped body is printed with exceptional precision, requiring perfect registration between multiple color blocks. Subtle embossing and carefully controlled pigment application create a convincing sense of volume beneath the graphic surface pattern.

The fish's eye, fins, and scales are rendered with remarkable delicacy, preventing the composition from becoming purely decorative. Every detail contributes to a unified whole, demonstrating the close collaboration between artist, carver, and printer that characterized the finest examples of shin-hanga production.

Connoisseur's Note

Repeated impressions of the same design reveal the enduring popularity of Ohno's work and the care with which the series was produced. They also allow modern audiences to appreciate how slight variations in printing can subtly alter the character of an image.

For scholars of Japanese printmaking, works such as this provide valuable evidence of the technical standards achieved during the late shin-hanga period. The print stands as both an artistic achievement and a testament to the remarkable craftsmanship of prewar Japanese workshops.

 
 
 

 
 

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