A bijin print depicting a beautiful woman in a white kimono — the color white in Japanese culture carrying associations of purity, ceremonial occasion, and (in Buddhist context) death and transformation. The white kimono bijin was a compositional type with particular visual drama: the unrelieved white of the garment thrown into relief by the woman's dark hair and the colored elements of her obi and accessories, creating an image of striking tonal contrast and emotional restraint.
Meiji period, dated October 10, 1896
Woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper
Woodblock print
Woodblock print
Woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
A beauty in white kimono, from was created by Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延).
A beauty in white kimono, from depicts bijin-ga.
