Itō Shinsui: Pupil of the Eye (Gendai bijinshû dai-nishû-Hitomi) (SOLD)

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 the background, her inner collar, and elements of the flowered robe. With the seal “Tokubetusen”” (Special Selection) 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 would then present as personal gifts.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: 44 x 28.1 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
Signature: Shinsui ga

SKU: SNI045