Nude Test 2 Bardot

This second impression of Nude Test 2 Bardot reflects the working logic of mokuhanga, in which proofs are pulled at successive stages to evaluate registration, color sequence, and pigment density before an edition is set. Variation between impressions of the same composition is intrinsic to the medium — the [baren](/glossary/baren)'s pressure, the dampness of the [washi](/glossary/washi), and the loading of pigment on each block all introduce small differences. Designating the print a "Test" acknowledges this provisional status openly, in keeping with a tradition in which kyogo-zuri proofs were a standard part of production. The subject, again Brigitte Bardot, is treated with the same flat color planes and contour-driven drawing as the companion impression, allowing direct comparison of how pigment choices and gradation change the figure's reading. Within Kristensen's broader project of running Western pop-cultural icons through mokuhanga, the existence of multiple Bardot test states underscores the artisanal, iterative nature of the medium itself.