Bijin and Dragonfly (1)

This woodblock print pairs a beautiful woman with a dragonfly, combining the bijin-ga portrait tradition with the natural world in a single composition. Dragonflies hold particular significance in Japanese culture: they were once called kachimushi, or "victory insects," and were favored symbols among samurai. Their appearance in late summer and early autumn also makes them seasonal markers, placing this scene in a specific time of year. Terashima Shimei positions the insect near the woman's figure, perhaps hovering beside her or resting on a nearby surface, creating a moment of stillness between two very different living subjects. The dragonfly's iridescent wings would require especially fine carving to render in the woodblock medium, with translucent color printed over the paper to suggest their delicate, veined membranes.