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.
"Bijin on a Crane" depicts a beautiful woman mounted on a crane — the mythological bird of longevity and good fortune in Japanese culture, associated with the immortals of Taoist legend who rode cranes between the celestial and earthly realms. The composition combines the conventional bijin subject with a supernatural or fantastical element borrowed from Chinese and Japanese mythology, placing the woman in the tradition of celestial beauties and immortal beings rather than ordinary social life. The crane's distinctive form — the long neck, the outstretched wings, the contrast with the woman's graceful figure — created a memorable and symbolically rich compositional pairing.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Bijin on a Crane was created by Miyagawa Shuntei (宮川春汀) in Not set.
Bijin on a Crane depicts birds & flowers and bijin-ga.
