A Woman in Western Dress
by Ito Shinsui
- Date:
- 1960
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 35.1 × 39.5 cm
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Edition:
- Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
by Ito Shinsui
Shinsui is Japan's preeminent shin-hanga bijin-ga master. His "Modern Beauties" and related series remain in strong demand, with provenance from notable collections (Freddie Mercury's collection appeared at Sotheby's 2023) adding premium value.
A woman dressed in Western clothing—a suit, dress, or blouse rather than the kimono that dominates Shinsui's [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga)—sits or stands in a pose that acknowledges the increasing presence of Western fashion in postwar Japanese life. Produced in 1960, the print represents one of Shinsui's relatively rare engagements with the modernized dress of postwar Japan, a deliberate counterpoint to the kimono-clad beauties of his career-defining earlier work. The treatment raises implicit questions about continuity and change in Japanese feminine ideals.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
A Woman in Western Dress was created by Ito Shinsui (伊東深水) in 1960.
A Woman in Western Dress was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1960).
A Woman in Western Dress depicts bijin-ga.
A Woman in Western Dress measures 35.1 × 39.5 cm (Oban format).
