Morning Hair
朝の髪
- Date:
- c. 1930
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
Typical Price
An exquisite study of a woman tending to her hair in the morning light, "Morning Hair" (Asagami) showcases Kotondo's mastery of the grooming-themed bijin-ga. The printing of hair textures against soft morning light required multiple careful bokashi gradations. Lifetime editions fetch $5,000-$15,000, and posthumous reprints are available for $2,000-$4,500.
Description
A woman adjusts her tousled hair after sleeping, capturing a private, unguarded moment of early-morning beauty. The slightly disheveled strands create a naturalistic contrast with the composed elegance typical of bijin-ga. The woman''s sleepy, slightly self-conscious expression gives the image an extraordinary psychological depth. This is Kotondo''s most celebrated print and one of the most valuable works in the shin-hanga canon.
