Maiko

The maiko, apprentice geisha of Kyoto, has been a recurring subject in twentieth-century [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga), treated by artists including Ito Shinsui and Torii Kotondo. The figure is identified by specific costume signs: a long trailing darari obi worn by apprentices rather than full geiko; elaborate hair arrangements such as the wareshinobu, ornamented with seasonal kanzashi hair pins; thick white oshiroi makeup with red lip accent; and pokkuri lacquered platform clogs. A print on this subject typically isolates the figure against a plain ground, focusing attention on the layered patterns of the kimono and the careful asymmetry of the hair ornaments. Technical execution would draw on the full [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) palette, with multiple color blocks for the textile patterns and [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation in the background. Within Nakagawa's body of work, the print signals engagement with Kyoto subject matter and with the bijin-ga tradition that ran in parallel with the landscape printmaking of the period.