TO MARCH 17

At first glance, the woodblock prints that Hashiguchi Goyo and his assistant made between 1915 and 1921 seem traditional in both subject and form. Exquisitely crafted by Goyo—who became his own publisher when the printing of his first color woodblock dissatisfied him—the luminous prints in this small exhibit mostly depict women in traditional garb, with a few digressions into such customary subjects as landscapes and birds. Goyo was a graduate of the Western-painting division of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, however, and his use of color and massing shows a subtle Western influence. Goyo’s work is dominated by line—the show’s one black-and-white print, in fact, is almost a prototype for the East-meets-West draftsmanship seen in contemporary Japanese comic books—yet his use of color is extraordinary. This selection, which includes all 16 color woodblocks Goyo made before his death at 41, shows him experimenting successfully with elaborate floral backgrounds and the depiction of translucent fabrics. At the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. (202) 357-3200. (Mark Jenkins)