Tatsumi, Shimura

Dated 1953, this oban woodblock print is a representative example of Shimura Tatsumi's mature bijin-ga style during his most productive decade. The composition presents a beautiful woman with the refined technical execution that made Shimura one of the most respected printmakers working in the genre during the postwar era. His prints from this period are marked by an extraordinary command of the woodblock color printing process, with multiple impression layers building up rich, luminous surfaces. The 1953 date places this work alongside his "Five Figures of Modern Beauties" series, during a period of sustained creative output.