Sagimusume (The Heron Maiden)

A second rendering of the Sagi Musume (Heron Maiden) subject in Tsunetomi's catalog, this oban-format woodblock print returns to the kabuki dance-drama of a woman who is the spirit of a white heron dancing in snow. The fact that Tsunetomi depicted this subject at least twice indicates its particular resonance for him. The Heron Maiden combines several of his core interests: the beauty of the female form, the visual spectacle of kabuki costume, the dramatic tension of supernatural transformation, and the atmospheric possibilities of a snow setting. Each version of the subject would explore different moments in the dance or different aspects of the character's dual nature. The white-on-white challenge of rendering a white-robed figure against falling snow tests the printmaker's ability to differentiate between shades of near-white through subtle tonal modulation.