Itō Shinsui: Beauty Adjusting Hairpin; Pupil of the Eye (Gendai bijinshû dai-nishû-Hitomi)

Artist: Itō Shinsui (1898-1972)
Title: Pupil of the Eye (Gendai bijinshû dai-nishû-Hitomi)
Series: The Second Series of Modern Beauties  Date: 1936 (Showa 11)

“Pupil of the Eye” from the “Second Series of Modern Beauties”. A beauty has turned to the left so that our view of her is oblique; the black of her outer kimono matches the deep black of her coiffure. With many areas of rich mica, including a subtle pink background, a white pattern of fish scales on her inner collar, and elements of the flowered robe. The soft pink of her cheeks is still extant, indicating an unfaded example. With the seal “Tokubetusen”” (Specially Selected) seal used by the publisher, Watanabe Shozaburo, verso. Watanabe Shoichiro notes that his grandfather used this seal for excellent examples of certain works that he might then present as personal gifts. According to Andreas Marks, the placement of round Watanabe seal in the left corner suggests an impression was a gift by Shinsui (Seven Masters, pg. 274).

Condition: Excellent impression, and color; very good condition. With minor hinging remnants at top corners and a few spots. Dimensions: 44.2 x 28.3 cm
Publisher: Watanabe Shôzaburô
Literature: Tadasu Watanabe, Ito Shinsui: All the Woodblock Prints, 1992, p. 101, no. 72. Reigle Newland, Amy, and Hamanaka Shinji, The Female Image: 20th Century Prints of Japanese Beauties, 2000, p. 74, no. 78. Andreas Marks, Seven Masters: 20th Century Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Wells Collection, 2015, p. 130, cat. no. 84.
Seal: Tokubetsu-sen (Special Selection) and Watanabe, verso. Red Watanabe seal recto.  Signature: Shinsui ga

SKU: SNI052