About This Print

Source: Yale University Art Gallery website https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/110323

"Maki Haku is known for using the established tradition of calligraphy and abstracting kanji characters—the Chinese ideographs that are used in Japanese writing—into quirky images. At first glance, the top portion of this print seems ambiguous; some may see a twirling figure holding round bells. In fact, the figure is the character for gaku/raku (樂), meaning “music” and “enjoyment.” The etymology of gaku comes from the word for a hand instrument with bells and ornamental strings that was shaken to make music for the enjoyment of the gods. When the bells were not in use, they were hung on wooden stands (as represented by the 木 character, meaning “tree,” which appears at the bottom of the gaku/raku character)."

Two Other "Symbol" Prints

Symbol No 1, 1957 image: 9.4 x 13.2 in. (24 x 33.5 cm) image source: Artelino website Item 17880

Symbol No 3, 1957 image: 12 3/8 x 16 in. (31.5 x 40.7 cm) image source: Minneapolis Institute of Art 91.112.32

Print Details

IHL Catalog	#2050
Title or Description	Symbol No. 2 (象徴 Shōchō)
Artist	Maki Haku (1924-2000)
Signature	巻白 Maki Haku
Seal	巻 and 白  Maki and Haku
Publication Date	1957
Publisher	International Graphic Arts Society
Edition	177/200
Carver	self-carved
Printer	self-printed
Impression	excellent
Colors	excellent
Condition	excellent
Genre	sosaku-hanga (creative print)
Miscellaneous
Format
H x W Paper	19 9/16 x 15 1/4 in. (49.7 x 38.7 cm)
H x W Image	17 x 12 7/16 in. (43.2 x 31.6 cm)
Collections This Print	Museum of Modern Art, 64.1959; Philadelphia Museum of Art 1959-51-15; Yale University Art Museum 2009.215.14; Albion College 1963.070
Reference Literature	The Life and Works of Haku Maki, Daniel Tretiak, Outskirt Press, Inc., 2007, p. 35.