Tadahiko Noritake Appraisal

Tadahiko Noritake - 'Before Dawn' Woodcut Print

This is a framed woodblock or woodcut print by the Japanese artist Tadahiko Noritake, titled 'Before Dawn.' The artwork features a dense, layered landscape of evergreen and deciduous trees rendered in a high-contrast monochromatic style, possibly a dark forest green or black ink. The composition utilizes a unique oval-shaped border within a rectangular field, suggesting a mid-to-late 20th-century aesthetic (circa 1970s-1980s). The print exhibits excellent technical skill in its use of negative space to define light hitting the foliage, evoking the quiet, misty atmosphere of early morning. It is housed in a simple rectangular black mat and a dark, slim-profile frame that emphasizes the graphic nature of the print. The paper appears to be a heavy, likely handmade Japanese washi, common for this medium. Condition-wise, the image quality appears crisp with no visible water damage or foxing in the central oval, though the framing and glass show some light reflection. The overall craftsmanship reflects the 'sosaku-hanga' or creative print movement, where the artist is responsible for the entire process from design to carving and printing, ensuring a high level of individual artistic expression.