This is among Kotondo's most celebrated compositions. Kotondo created only 21 bijin-ga designs (1927–1933), and the original woodblocks were destroyed before WWII, making any original period impression extraordinarily rare. "Kamisuki (Hair Combing)" set the artist record at $72,500 at Christie's New York in 2019.
Fushimi no Yuki — snow at Fushimi — places a woman within a snowscape associated with the historic Fushimi district of Kyoto, once home to the great castle of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The seasonal subject allowed Kotondo to deploy his mastery of cool bokashi gradations, creating a chilled atmosphere that contrasts with the warmth of the figure. Snow prints require exceptional technical control of the pigment gradients, and Kotondo's refined sense of temperature through color is central to their appeal.
Woodblock print
c. 1832/38
Color woodblock print; oban
Yuki no Miyajima
1929
Color woodblock print; oban
1932
Woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Fushimi no Yuki was created by Torii Kotondo (鳥居言人) in Not set.
Fushimi no Yuki was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (Not set).
Fushimi no Yuki depicts snow scenes, bijin-ga, and winter.
