Haku Maki - Persimmon

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Haku Maki’s 1980 embossed woodblock print Persimmon presents a single, hand‐embossed persimmon (kaki 柿) against a deep black background. The urushi lacquer and tactile embossing captures the fruit’s smooth curves and natural sheen, distilling Japan's beloved autumn fruit into a perfectly pure, sculptural image. 🍂🍊

• Year & Edition: 1980 · Persimmon · Ed. 38/150.
• Series: Persimmons (1971–1981) - a decade‐long suite celebrating the kaki persimmon in elegant, hand‐embossed compositions. Each print pairs urushi lacquer accents with stark black - or sometimes white - backgrounds to evoke the fruit’s tactile beauty. Early (1971) and late (1981) editions feature even more refined, leathery‐velvety grounds, making these ‘bookends’ especially coveted.
• Medium: Embossed Woodblock.
• Dimensions: Paper H: 21.75 cm × W: 21.75 cm; Image H: 17.50 cm × W: 16.75 cm.
• Condition: Lovely; image face bright and unblemished, paper clean with minor pinhole foxing to margins.
• Notes: The quintessential icon of Maki’s Persimmons series, this print epitomizes his mastery of texture, colour and form. 👁️✨

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]