Fish and Flowers and Female Buddha

A renowned master of woodblock printmaking, Munakata Shikō was connected with the early 20th century Creative Prints (Sōsaku-hanga 創作版画) movement, a reaction against the complex, collaborative division of labor that had characterized the print industry of earlier centuries. Printmakers of the movement argued that a print artist should not only draw the designs, but also cut and ink the woodblocks, allowing a fuller expression of the artist’s intent. Munakata often worked directly on the block without a preparatory sketch, giving his prints a rough, spontaneous quality that also reflects his connections with the Folk Art (Mingei 民芸) movement.

Some of Munakata’s best-known prints have Buddhist subjects, reflecting the artist’s devotion to Zen Buddhist practice and thought.