Shinto is Japan’s oldest religion, with origins dating back to the tail end of the Stone Age.
While many Japanese people do not consider themselves religious, a large percentage of the population still follows Shinto ideas today.
You don’t have to venture far in the country to find one of its 80,000 shrines. They stand tall in quiet forests, over the water along the island’s coasts, and above rice fields.
Shinto was not born from a specific founder or religious scripture—it lives within the people.
It is not a defining characteristic—it is a part of life.
Personal virtues are emphasized over strict rituals or rules. Benevolence, harmony, courage, and gratitude all support the key theme of Shinto: the concept of purity, or harae. The religion holds that humans are inherently good and should cleanse themselves of moral and spiritual impurities. Followers strive to achieve makoto no kokoro—a heart of truth.
You will see a version of this ritual at the entrance of shrines. Visitors gather at a water basin and use a wooden ladle to pour water over each of their hands. It's fitting that some of Japan’s animal residents appear to find their own quiet form of renewal in the mountains.
For centuries, monkeys have appeared in Japanese folklore with a variety of meanings. They have been used as metaphors for tricksters and the negative traits of humans, but they have also served as sacred messengers to the gods.
On this rainy morning in central Japan, I observed macaques who seemed to embody both roles.
There were the raucous individuals—screeching, pulling hair, and chasing others beside the hot springs—falling squarely into the trickster camp. But there were a few quieter, almost meditative monkeys who held eye contact with me or rested in the warm waters with their eyes softly shut.
I like to believe they were the messengers.
LIMITED EDITION
A moment captured for a life on paper.
Eric works with a renowned print studio in Brooklyn, New York, known for decades of expertise in archival pigment printing. The local lab allows for a collaborative approach, ensuring that his intended vision is expressed in the final artwork. When cared for properly, archival pigment prints can last for over a century.
Archival Pigment Prints
Modern printmaking, refined. Pigment prints utilize state-of-the-art digital technology and high-quality pigment-based inks to achieve striking reproductions. A digital image is applied directly onto the paper using precision inkjet printers, ensuring both image quality and longevity.
Vision meets the surface. Archival papers differ in weight, material, and texture. A paper is chosen to best suit the intent of the piece, from satin finishes to enhance rich shadows and colors, to handmade Japanese rice paper that offers a more textured and vintage feel.
The edition size ensures that only the number of prints indicated will ever be produced. Each print is proofed, reviewed, numbered, and signed by Eric, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity that is unique to your artwork.
Prices from $3,500 USD
16'' x 24'' / 40.6 x 61 cm
Edition of 10 + 2 AP
26'' x 39'' / 66 × 99.1 cm
Edition of 7 + 2 AP
40'' x 60'' / 101.6 x 152.4 cm
Edition of 5 + 2 AP
52'' x 78'' / 132.1 x 198.1 cm
Edition of 3 + 2 AP
8'' x 12'' / 20.3 x 30.5 cm
Edition of 5 + 2 AP
12'' x 18'' / 30.5 x 45.7 cm
Edition of 3 + 2 AP
Larger pieces available by commission
The best traditions never fade.
These macaques have returned to the hot springs for generations—a quiet ritual of warmth and restoration.
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Pigment-based inks and precision digital technology achieve striking reproductions. Each image is applied directly onto archival paper using high-fidelity inkjet printers, ensuring both image quality and longevity.
Archival papers differ in weight, material, and texture. Each is chosen to best suit the intent of the piece—from satin finishes that enhance shadows and color, to washi that offers a textured, tactile feel.
Silver gelatin prints are produced using traditional darkroom techniques that date back to the early 20th century. The image is exposed onto paper coated with a light-sensitive silver salt emulsion and developed through chemical processing.
The paper's gelatin layer captures intricate details and textures within an image. Prints reveal rich blacks and a broad tonal range, giving each piece a distinct dimensionality.
Each edition is strictly limited to the number of prints indicated. Every work is proofed, reviewed, signed, and accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
A select number of Artist Proofs are reserved for the artist, family, or collectors.
Platinum-palladium printing originated in the 19th century. It is a manual process requiring extensive preparation and craftsmanship, and some of the rarest metals on earth.
A digital photograph is converted to a negative of the image, which is then used in this traditional contact printing method.
Rich blacks, soft grays, and detail in shadows are unmatched, even by modern inkjet printers. Smooth tonal transitions and a warm appearance create a print that is uniquely platinum.
Black brush strokes around the edge of the image from the chemical application reveal the handmade nature of the piece—no two will ever be the same.
Platinum-palladium prints have an archival rating of more than 1,500 years.
A solution of noble metals is used to coat the paper, allowing for the print's longevity. When ultraviolet light is exposed through this digital negative onto the chemical layer, platinum particles become physically embedded in the fibers of the paper. These particles form the image, which is then developed in a chemical bath.
Each edition is strictly limited to the number of prints indicated. Every work is proofed, reviewed, signed, and accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
A select number of Artist Proofs are reserved for the artist, family, or collectors.
For additional information on this print, including availability, pricing, or edition details, please complete the form below.
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