Snowy Night- Woman Warming Herself on a foot warmer — 雪の夜

Medium:: Woodblock print
Format:: Oban
Publisher:: Watanabe Shozaburo

Edition:

Published by Watanabe Shozaburo

Source:

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 warms herself on a cold night by a foot warmer while snow falls outside—the Japanese title 雪の夜 ("snowy night") orienting the print in its seasonal and temporal context of winter darkness. The combination of interior warmth (foot warmer) and exterior severity (snow) creates the characteristic tension of Shinsui's winter [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga), in which the woman's comfort is defined in relation to the cold that surrounds it. The foot warmer (kotatsu or hibachi) grounds the print in the specific material culture of Japanese winter.