Bijin in Kimono — 和服美人図

A beautiful woman in traditional kimono is rendered with the meticulous attention to textile pattern and drape that defines Shimura Tatsumi's mature work. The Japanese title "Wafuku bijin-zu" (Picture of a Beauty in Japanese Dress) announces the subject directly: this is a celebration of both the woman and the garment she wears. Shimura treats the kimono as a second subject within the composition, lavishing equal care on its fabric patterns, color harmonics, and the way it shapes the figure's silhouette. His oban woodblock prints of kimono-clad women are among the most technically accomplished in postwar bijin-ga, requiring dozens of separate color impressions to achieve their layered richness.