Goyo completed only 14 woodblock print designs before his death in 1921, making every genuine impression extraordinarily rare. His bijin-ga are among the most refined of the entire shin-hanga movement. "Woman at the Bath" achieved $40,075 at Bonhams New York in 2020; Sotheby's estimates of $15,000–$25,000 are typical for top examples.
A woman holding a hand towel — printed in the early 1950s from Goyo's original designs — the figure in the moment of drying after bathing or washing, the towel's white linen creating a tonal counterpoint to her skin and hair. The hand towel (tenugui) was among the most ordinary objects of Japanese domestic life, and Goyo's choice to make it a compositional element reflects his interest in the poetry of the everyday: the way a simple cotton towel, held by a specific woman in a specific light, becomes an element of visual and human significance.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Woman Holding a Hand Towel was created by Hashiguchi Goyo (橋口五葉) in early 1950s.
Woman Holding a Hand Towel was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (early 1950s).
Woman Holding a Hand Towel depicts bijin-ga.
Woman Holding a Hand Towel measures 43.8 × 28.1 cm (Oban format).
