Kunio Kaneko - Tabi 23

A fabulous print by Kunio Kaneko: Tabi 23. A pair of white split-toe tabi (足袋) appear against a flat gold-leaf background, with a bold shop label lower right. Part of Kaneko’s long-running Tabi series, this 1986 work combines traditional footwear and packaging design in a clean vertical format. 🧦✨

• Year & Edition: 1986 · Ed. 2/95 (signed, titled & editioned in pencil).
  
• Medium: Woodblock.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 54.25 cm × W: 30.00 cm; Image H: 48.00 cm × W: 24.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Fabulous. Minor handling to lower margin.
  
• Notes: Tabi (足袋) are traditional Japanese split-toe socks, typically worn with zōri (草履) and geta (下駄). Originally made of leather, they later became standard in cotton for use in both formal and everyday dress. Artist seal to lower right.

About the Artist

Kunio Kaneko (b. 1949) is a Tokyo-based printmaker whose work blends postwar mokuhanga tradition with quiet, contemporary warmth. A student of Joichi Hoshi and Sasajima Kihei, he developed a distinctive style enriched with gold and silver leaf, featuring recurring motifs such as koi, koinobori, Fuji, kimono, tabi, and geta. His prints reflect a desire to communicate love and human connection through the handmade image. An esteemed member of the Japan Print Association, Kaneko has exhibited widely in Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. [ ← View All Works by Kunio Kaneko]