$5,000–$200,000+. Beauty prints by this artist are particularly sought after. Original prints: $20,000–$60,000. Key value factors: Shoen's paintings are far more valuable than prints. Authenticity and provenance are critical.
This print references the kabuki play "Kagamiyama Kokyou no Nishikie," which tells a story of loyalty and revenge among women serving in a feudal lord's household. Hatsujo, the character named in the Japanese subtitle, is a lady-in-waiting who avenges the humiliation of her mistress. Shoen's rendering presents the character in formal attire consistent with her samurai-class position, her bearing conveying the determination and moral resolve that drive the play's narrative. Shoen was drawn to stories of women exercising agency within constrained social structures, and Hatsujo's tale of courageous action on behalf of another woman resonated with themes the artist explored throughout her career. The woodblock technique renders the character's elaborate costume with the precision of a theatrical costume study while the face carries the emotional weight of the narrative situation.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Kagamiyama Woman — 鏡山のはつ女 was created by Uemura Shoen (上村松園).
Kagamiyama Woman — 鏡山のはつ女 depicts figures, kabuki, and bijin-ga.
