Details

Dragon Dance is part of Ito Shinsui's ambitious double-oban-sized postwar designs. In this work, a beauty is performing a traditional dance, "Kagamijishi," holding a lion's head. This stunning figure is dressed in an exquisite kimono showcasing an intricate pattern that boasts extensive use of gauffrage, or embossing. Her head is downcast as her arm lifts the lion’s head in a graceful counterbalance unifying the composition.

Connoisseur's Note

Ito Shinsui's post-war bijin-ga are a sweet spot of value for collectors, as they are priced significantly less than his pre-war prints and in stark contrast to the small fortunes his pre-earthquake designs demand. Given the larger scale, these postwar designs show quite well in a contemporary setting and often contain more deluxe printing effects such as embossing, mica, and bokashi, or color gradation, as is the case with this design.