Kotondo is best known for bijin-ga, but his complete oeuvre includes actor prints and other figure subjects. His small corpus of only 21 designs ensures that all authenticated period impressions carry collector interest and scarcity premiums.
A woman pounds silk in the old manner, using a wooden mallet to soften and lustre the finished fabric — a craft practice that predates commercial production of smooth silk textiles. The 1930 composition depicts a woman at physical labor, a departure from the cosmetic and personal-care subjects that dominate Kotondo's bijin-ga. The pounding of silk was associated in Japanese classical poetry with autumn evenings, lending the subject a seasonal and literary dimension beyond its immediate physical content.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Pounding Silk was created by Torii Kotondo (鳥居言人) in 1930.
Pounding Silk was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1930).
Pounding Silk depicts bijin-ga, craftspeople, and daily life.
