Evening Cool
夕涼み
- Date:
- 1930
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
Typical Price
A summer-themed bijin-ga, "Evening Cool" (Suzumi) shows a woman enjoying the evening breeze in light summer kimono. Watanabe published all of Kotondo's 21 designs, and this seasonal subject carries particular charm. Lifetime editions range from $4,000-$10,000, while later Watanabe reprints are obtainable for $2,000-$4,000.
Description
A woman enjoys the cool evening air after a hot summer day, seated on a veranda with a hand fan resting in her lap. The deep blue of the twilight sky provides a cool contrast to the warm tones of her skin and the patterns of her light summer kimono. The scene captures the Japanese tradition of yusuzumi — taking the evening cool — with understated elegance.
