Sekino Junichiro Narrow Roads to the Deep North

The print series of Basho s travel - Narrow Roads to the Deep North - was created towards the end of Sekino Jun'ichirō s life and is an fantastic endeavour hich the authors hope readers will enjoy.

Sekino Junichiro (1914 - 1988) is one of the most important Japanese printmakers of the 20th century and a prominent member of the Sosaku Hanga movement, which represents an important movement in Japanese art history.

Sekino died in 1988 in Tokyo.

Narrow Roads to the Deep North follows the footsteps of the famous EdoPeriod poet Basho.

Sekino Junichiro was born on October 23, 1914, in Aomori. He studied printmaking and oil painting and was closely associated with Koshiro Onchi and Munakata Shiko. Sekino mastered both traditional Japanese woodblock prints and Western printmaking techniques such as etching.

Junichiro Sekino developed a versatile artistic style that ranged from realistic portraits to abstract compositions. He frequently used mixed media, particularly overprinting, to create his works and combine diverse artistic influences.

After World War II, Sekino quickly gained recognition both in Japan and internationally. In 1958, he traveled to the United States, and in 1963, he began teaching printmaking at Oregon State University. After returning to Japan, he continued his teaching career at Kobe University in 1965.