Red Collar

Red Collar, created in 1928, isolates a single vivid detail of a woman's outfit as its compositional focus. The red collar, or eri, visible beneath the outer kimono layers, was one of the most expressive elements of traditional Japanese dress. Its color, material, and degree of visibility communicated information about the wearer's age, status, and personal style. A bright red collar peeking from beneath darker outer garments created a flash of warmth against the neck.

This oban woodblock print was produced using ink and color on paper with mica, a mineral additive that gives the printed surface a subtle luminous shimmer. Mica printing, or kirazuri, was a technique with roots in Edo-period ukiyo-e, prized for the way it catches light and adds a tactile quality to the paper's surface. Shuho's use of this technique in 1928 connects his shin-hanga work to the luxury printing traditions of centuries earlier while serving the modern image's sensual warmth.