Woman with Umbrella

Woman with Umbrella — a bijin-ga (beautiful woman) figure subject in the tradition of depicting elegant women with the accessories of outdoor life — is rendered in Maeda Masao's bold graphic manner. The umbrella (kasa or higasa) was one of the traditional accessories that lent itself to figure compositions, its circular form and translucent or decorated surface creating a visual element that both framed and complemented the figure holding it. Maeda's direct self-carved approach gives the woman and her umbrella a graphic presence that contrasts with the more delicate treatment typical of shin-hanga bijin-ga subjects.