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.
A woman adjusts her tousled hair after sleeping, capturing a private, unguarded moment of early-morning beauty. The slightly disheveled strands create a naturalistic contrast with the composed elegance typical of bijin-ga. The woman''s sleepy, slightly self-conscious expression gives the image an extraordinary psychological depth. This is Kotondo''s most celebrated print and one of the most valuable works in the shin-hanga canon.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Morning Hair (朝の髪) was created by Torii Kotondo (鳥居言人) in c. 1930.
Morning Hair was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (c. 1930).
Morning Hair depicts bijin-ga and portraits.
