Minneapolis Institute of Art

Humorous Designs

Kamisaka Sekka; Publisher: Unsōdō

Date: April 1903
Medium: Woodblock printed book, ink and color on paper
Department: Asian Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art

This collection of 46 designs was assembled by Kamisaka Sekka in the year after he returned to Japan from studying contemporary European approaches to arts and crafts. These designs reveal European influences and show his ability to play with images from several cultures. In contrast to his other design collections, the themes here are diverse. They consist of motifs derived from traditional Asian art, such as zodiac animals, and themes of Western origin, like Art Deco vases. In his introduction to the compilation, Sekka refers to his work as more “jokes” than art, and points out that he has created them lightheartedly.

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