Maiko — 舞妓
- Date:
- Not set
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
Typical Price
Beauty subjects are especially sought after in this category. 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 maiko — an apprentice geisha, traditionally found in Kyoto — appears here in her distinctive costume: the elaborate hairstyle with dangling ornaments, the trailing furisode kimono, the white-painted face that marks her profession. Takasawa brings his bijin-ga sensibility to this iconic subject, treating the maiko not as exotic spectacle but as a young woman in a specific moment of her life. The formality of the print's visual vocabulary echoes the formality of the maiko's training.
