Five, Hinazō

Dated early summer 1922, this oban woodblock print with ink, color, and mica depicts a figure identified as Hinazo in a composition numbered "Five" within what appears to be a series of portraits. The mica ground, a technique borrowed from Edo-period luxury printmaking, gives the background a subtle shimmer that elevates the figure against a luminous surface. Hinazo was a well-known geisha or maiko in Kyoto's Gion district during the 1920s, and Yoshikawa returned to her as a subject multiple times. The numbered designation suggests a sequential study tracking her development or capturing different aspects of her persona. Yoshikawa's use of mica connects his modern sosaku-hanga practice to the opulent traditions of earlier bijin-ga masters like Utamaro.