
Woman in Kimono Asleep and Dreaming of her Lover, a Soldier in Battle
by Kajita Hanko

by Kajita Hanko
$500–$4,000. Common prints: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Hanko's refined nihonga-style prints bridge traditional painting and modern printmaking. His early death at 47 limits available works.
A woman in kimono asleep and dreaming of her lover — a soldier in battle — creates a split-scene composition that was a favored device in Meiji-era literary illustration. The sleeping woman in the foreground occupies peaceful domestic space while the dream or vision superimposed on the image shows the violent reality of the distant battlefield where her lover fights. This form of narrative juxtaposition — intimate domestic scene against martial action — was particularly potent during the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars when such themes had immediate relevance.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Woman in Kimono Asleep and Dreaming of her Lover, a Soldier in Battle was created by Kajita Hanko (梶田半古).
Woman in Kimono Asleep and Dreaming of her Lover, a Soldier in Battle depicts bijin-ga and warriors.