Combing Hair
髪梳き
- Date:
- 1929
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
Typical Price
"Combing Hair" (Kamisuki) is Kotondo's single most famous and sought-after design, often regarded as the finest bijin-ga print of the 20th century. The silver mica background and exquisite bokashi printing required over 50 separate impressions per sheet. Lifetime editions have sold for $8,000-$20,000+, with exceptional examples exceeding that range. Even posthumous editions command $3,000-$5,000.
Description
A woman draws a comb through her long, flowing hair, the dark tresses cascading over her shoulders in a lustrous curtain. The traditional subject of hair combing, one of the most enduring themes in bijin-ga, is rendered by Kotondo with exceptional refinement. Each strand is suggested with precise carving, creating a surface that seems to gleam with natural sheen.
