'Kappa Child' Woodblock Print

 

In Japanese mythology, Kappa are traditionally seen as malevolent creatures who lurk in rivers and prey on humans.  I'm always happy to indulge in a good monster story, and so I love those old legends. 

However for this print, I wanted to depict Kappa as more relatable creatures. This child isn't interested in drowning anyone. He's innocently perched on a rock, resting after a long day catching crabs for his family's dinner. 

I'm very proud of this design - I think it's rather elegant in its simplicity. The prints were carved and printed by apprentice printmaker William Francis. You can see more of William's work here.

The paper measures 13.5 x 17.5 cm (about 5 x 7 inches).

Each print is signed by Jed Henry and numbered.

The color was applied in the traditional Japanese method, with hand-carved blocks, ground pigments, and hand printing on handmade paper.

We hope you'll support new carver/printers like William by collecting their prints.

Thank you!

 

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