"Ushiwakamaru and Benkei" Ushiwakamaru to Benkei

Medium: Woodblock

Date: 2016

Size: oban tate-e; 16 1/8 x 11 3/8 in., 40.9 x 29 cm.

Signed in silver kanji, Bin-ni, with karazuri (embossed) artist's seal Binnie, the title on the left margin, Ushiwakamaru to Benkei, and sealed again on the bottom margin, Binnie, signed in pencil Paul Binnie, 2016. Numbered in pencil along bottom margin.

Edition: 50

Description: Ushiwakamaru to Benkei' (Ushiwakamaru and Benkei) is a tattoo design made to fit with an Utagawa school print of male legs, separated from its upper half. My replacement upper half fits with my continuing interest in tattoo motifs and works rather well as a stand-alone design, plus the image of the two heros of medieval Japan is loosely based on a painting by Torii Kotondo. As ever, I like the model and his tattoos to interact in some way, so he is holding a short sword in a similar pose to Ushiwakamaru in the tattoo. Paul Binnie

Condition: Mint