Paul Binnie Behind the Hannya Mask

Paul Binnie “Behind the Hannya Mask” artwork
I am also taking this opportunity to present my largest-ever woodblock, done in a more sosaku-hanga (creative print) style; Ura Hannya (Behind the Hannya Mask). I have employed a full sheet of washi paper, so the print is approximately 97 x 67cm, and is a jigsaw print, where the large colour areas are cut from one block of wood rather than multiple blocks. It has hand-colouring in the tattoo, and is against a gold mica ground to simulate gold leaf. I needed a great deal of help from Hara Takayuki, my assistant, to print such a large piece, and in recognition of this, I asked him to title the prints in the bottom margin, while I signed and numbered them from an edition of only 20. While the standard print shows the subject nude, I have also made a version with fundoshi (traditional underwear) in chine colle, for those who don't want the figure to be quite so exposed!
Paul Binnie's announcement,
Artist
Paul Binnie
Title
Behind the Hannya Mask
Japanese title
Ura hannya 裏般若
Series title
Date
Medium
Jigsaw woodblock print on paper
Paper dimensions (h × w)
97.6 × 66.5 cm
Image dimensions (h × w)
91 × 60 cm
Edition size
20
Carver
Paul Binnie
Printer
Paul Binnie w/ Hara Takayuki
Subjects
Handsome Men (Bidanshi 美男子)
Tattoos (Irezumi 刺青)
Noh plays ( )
Remarks
The blocks were cut in and the first impression was .
The model was actor Kawasetsu Yu, a friend of the artist.
References
Van den Ing, E (ed.) , Paul Binnie: A Dialogue with the Past, Art Media Resources, Chicago, p. 122
Catalogue number
85 (L220)
Supplementary images