Female Ghost (Complete Works of Chikamatsu)

"Female Ghost" is a nihonga / [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) print by Uemura Shoen, created during the Meiji to Showa periods. This abstract work reflects the artist's exploration of form, color, and texture through the woodblock medium.

Uemura Shoen approaches abstraction through the unique constraints and possibilities of woodblock printing, where the grain of the wood, the pressure of the [baren](/glossary/baren), and the interaction of pigment and paper all contribute to the final image. Her work earned her the Order of Culture.

As a [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) work — designed, carved, and printed entirely by the artist's own hand — this print embodies the creative philosophy that the printmaker's personal expression should permeate every stage of production, from concept to finished impression.

This print represents Uemura Shoen's contribution to the nihonga / shin-hanga tradition during the Meiji to Showa periods. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.