Kotondo's bijin-ga are prized for their psychologically intimate portrayals of modern Tokyo women. With only 21 designs and original woodblocks destroyed, all genuine 1930s impressions are scarce. Sotheby's estimated "Summer Geisha" at $8,000–$12,000 in 2023.
A woman kneels before a mirror stand — the traditional Japanese lacquered mirror on its stand — examining her reflection as she prepares her appearance. The 1920 date places this among Kotondo's earliest bijin-ga work, predating the refined atmospheric technique of his mature 1929–1934 period. The composition establishes the reflective subject — a woman between her actual self and her mirrored image — that would continue to engage Kotondo across his career, the mirror framing the act of self-examination as both practical and contemplative.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Woman Kneeling before a Mirror Stand was created by Torii Kotondo (鳥居言人) in 1920.
Woman Kneeling before a Mirror Stand was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1920).
Woman Kneeling before a Mirror Stand depicts figures, bijin-ga, and daily life.
