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Bijin-ga

Hanga

A free platform for exploring Japanese woodblock prints from the shin-hanga, sosaku-hanga, and ukiyo-e traditions.

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Ito Shinsui
Bijin Contemplating (1)

Bijin Contemplating (1)

by Ito Shinsui

Shin-hanga

Bijin-ga

Medium:: Woodblock print
Format:: Oban
Publisher:: Watanabe Shozaburo
Edition:: Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
Source:: Japanese Art Open Database

Typical Price

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.

Later Showa editions with adequate color: $800–$2,000
Showa-period lifetime editions: $2,000–$8,000
Exceptional impressions, iconic designs: $8,000–$25,000

Description

A woman pauses in a moment of contemplation—tilting her head, perhaps looking into a mirror or simply lost in thought—in this undated [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) that the title simply calls "Bijin Contemplating." The title's directness is characteristic of how Shinsui named his prints according to the subject's activity or state rather than her identity, keeping the woman both specific (this woman, this pose) and universal (any woman, this inner state). The composition invites the viewer to construct the inner life suggested by her expression.