Bird Cage
- Date:
- circa 1930-1950
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
Typical Price
Key value factors: As self-carved and self-printed works, sosaku-hanga value is tied to the artist's reputation and edition size. Larger formats, earlier editions, and historically significant works command the highest prices.
- Common examples: $100–$500
- Good impressions: $500–$2,000
- Premium/scarce: $2,000–$10,000
Description
A bird cage appears in this print from the 1930s to 1950s — an object associated in bijin-ga imagery with the contained and ornamental life of certain women, particularly in the licensed quarters. The cage functions as both decorative element and quiet metaphor: beauty confined, beauty displayed. Takasawa places this charged object in a composition that acknowledges its symbolic weight without overstating it, trusting the visual association to carry the meaning.
