Haku Maki - Collection - 882

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Haku Maki’s 1988 embossed woodblock print Collection-882 showcases a striking black chawan featuring a beautiful golden open ensō motif, rendered in relief against a white background. The embossed surface, lacquer details, and gold metallic ink accents bring out the vessel’s textured glaze and the ensō’s fluid, imperfect circle wonderfully, lifting this timeless tea bowl to a luminous, artistic statement on paper. 🍵✨

• Year & Edition: 1988 · Collection-882 · Ed. 117/200, (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
• 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 H: 22.00 cm × W: 22.00 cm.
• Condition: Lovely condition - paper clean, crisp, and intact.
• Notes: This impression from the later phase of Maki’s Collection series highlights a motif inspired by "kin" (gold), featuring the Zen open ensō symbol evoking impermanence and enlightenment, showcasing his refined use of gold metallic ink and embossing. 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 chawan 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]