Hanga
Beauty by Shiko Munakata — Japanese Ink on paper, 1958

Beauty

by Shiko Munakata

Sōsaku-hanga
Bijin-ga
Date:
1958
Medium:
Ink on paper
Image courtesy of
Artsy

Description

A crouching nude figure fills the square composition, seen from behind with knees drawn up and head bowed so the face is hidden, rendered in bold black ink strokes against unpainted paper with grey ink washes framing the body at left and right. Japanese characters and a red seal appear in the lower left corner. Munakata Shiko's 1958 ink on paper "Beauty" reduces the body to a few thick, calligraphic outlines with minimal interior modeling, giving the figure a compact, rounded mass and a quiet, inward mood.

More Prints by Shiko Munakata

Untitled by Shiko Munakata

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Women by Shiko Munakata

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Woodblock print on Japanese paper

Satsuko by Shiko Munakata

Satsuko

1962

Woodcut

Bodhisattva Manjusri (Monju bosatsu no saku), from the series Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha Sakyamuni (Shaka jûdai deshi), Shôwa period, undated (block carved 1948) by Shiko Munakata

Bodhisattva Manjusri (Monju bosatsu no saku), from the series Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha Sakyamuni (Shaka jûdai deshi), Shôwa period, undated (block carved 1948)

Shôwa period, 1926-1989

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More Bijin-ga Prints

Woman with Parasol by Fritz Capelari

Woman with Parasol

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A dancing girl, maiko, in winter by Hasegawa Sadanobu III

A dancing girl, maiko, in winter

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Maiko — 舞妓の図 by Insho Domoto

Maiko — 舞妓の図

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Woman in Blue Kimono by Fritz Capelari

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Featured in Collections

Curated cross-cuts that include this print.

Sōsaku-Hanga: The Creative-Print MovementBijin-ga: Japanese Beauty Prints

Frequently Asked Questions

Beauty was created by Shiko Munakata (棟方志功) in 1958.

Beauty depicts bijin-ga.