Ito Shinsui 伊東深水: Woman Wearing an Under-sash 伊達巻の女 (Sold)

Artist: Itō Shinsui (1898-1972)Title: Woman Wearing an Under-sash 伊達巻の女 (Datemaki no Onna)  Date: 1921 A beauty is seen at her toilette affixing a hair comb in a masterful composition that shows her facing away from us, emphasizing the intimacy of the moment. A modern twist of the scene of a woman at her mirror, the eye here is drawn to the boldly checkered datemaki sash that was worn to secure an under kimono. Perhaps because this accessory was never seen by the public, it accentuates the privacy of this moment. Its tension on her slender waist is emphasized, and we also get a glimpse of her neck as she secures a comb, the neck being considered a highly erotic space by the Japanese. The mirror at left has a mica finish, and the beautiful bokashi effect on the shibori-patterned cushion gives her a sense of floating on air. The pink on her skin is still strongly apparent, indicating that there has been no fading at all. A scarce, pre-earthquake design in perfectly unfaded condition that