KYO NO MAIKO (Maiko of Kyoto)
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
$2,000–$15,000. Common subjects: $2,000–$5,000. Key value factors: Yamamura's Art Deco-influenced designs are particularly sought after. Kabuki actor prints and bold modern compositions command the highest prices.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print portrays a maiko, an apprentice geisha of Kyoto, as indicated by the title Kyo no Maiko. Kyoto's maiko are recognizable by their elaborate hair ornaments (kanzashi), trailing obi sashes, and distinctive white-painted faces. Toyonari renders these identifying details with precision, treating each element of the maiko's appearance as part of a visual vocabulary that Japanese viewers could read instantly. The print represents Toyonari's work in the [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) tradition, moving away from his primary kabuki subject matter to depict the beauty of Kyoto's geisha culture. The maiko's youth and the ornate layering of her costume give the composition a decorative richness. Toyonari brings the same observational rigor to this cultural portrait that he applied to his actor studies, treating the maiko's self-presentation as a form of performance in its own right.
1919
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Woodblock print
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with mica
1920
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with nikawa and embossing
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
KYO NO MAIKO (Maiko of Kyoto) was created by Yamamura Toyonari (山村豊成).
KYO NO MAIKO (Maiko of Kyoto) was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
KYO NO MAIKO (Maiko of Kyoto) depicts bijin-ga, set at Kyoto.
