Haku Maki - Collection - 44(B)

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Haku Maki’s 1980 embossed woodblock print Collection-44(B) reverses the palette to showcase a tokkuri - the classic warm-sake flask - in crisp white relief against a deep black field. The embossed texture and urushi lacquer highlights render the vessel’s subtle surface variations with tactile precision, transforming this everyday form into a high-contrast sculptural study. 🍶✨

• Year & Edition: 1980 · Collection-44(B) · Ed. 71/240.
• Series: Collection (1977 - late 1980s) - an elaborately coloured, embossed and textured suite celebrating Japanese chawan, tokkuri and gui vessels. Maki’s prints from this period showcase his sharpest mastery of texture and colour, reflecting the tactile elegance of these cultural icons.
• Medium: Embossed Woodblock.
• Dimensions: Paper W: 24.50 cm × H: 27.50 cm; Image W: 20.50 cm × H: 20.25 cm.
• Condition: Lovely condition - paper clean and intact, image face unblemished.
• Notes: This “B” variant follows the original light-field impression, offering a bold inversion that emphasizes the form’s silhouette and texture. His ceramic and pottery prints came in two phases: 1977 - 1980 as Collection (alphabetically titled) and 1983 - late 1980s with sub-series such as Tokkuri & Gui, resuming his numbered catalogue format after a health-related hiatus. This tokkuri impression embodies the series’ peak of tactile refinement. 👁️✨

About the Artist

Haku Maki (1924-2000) was an influential Japanese printmaker known for merging traditional kanji and ancient Chinese seal scripts with abstract, modern compositions. A self-taught artist and wartime survivor, Maki gained international acclaim through innovative cement-relief embossing techniques and vibrant colours. His distinctive works - including series like Poem, Persimmons, and Festive Wine - are celebrated globally, combining deep cultural resonance with contemporary abstract aesthetics. [ ← View All Works by Haku Maki]