Created from high-quality wood, milled with simple clean lines and presented with a satin finish. Includes an off-white mount that will not discolour or fade with age. - Simple, elegant design - Premium, fine art paper with a gently textured surface - Handmade by specialist picture framers - FSC certified off-white mat / window mount - Delivered ready for hanging

"Woman Combing Her Hair" by Goyo Hashiguchi exemplifies the elegance and simplicity that characterize the Shin-hanga movement’s portrayal of Japanese beauty. The painting depicts a young woman seated in a serene, private moment, carefully combing her long, flowing black hair. The gentle curve of her back is gracefully rendered, and her turned head offers a profile view that balances intimacy with formality.

Color Palette & Technique:
Hashiguchi employs a restrained but effective color palette. The woman's pale, porcelain-like skin contrasts with the deep, inky black of her hair. Her simple, yet beautifully detailed kimono is depicted in muted tones of gray and white, which helps to direct attention to her face and hands, central elements of the composition. The background is subtly depicted, ensuring that it does not detract from the quiet focus of the scene.

Details & Textures:
The delicate lines of the comb trace through the strands of hair, highlighting Hashiguchi's acute attention to detail. The textures of the skin, fabric, and hair are meticulously presented, showcasing the woodblock printing technique's capabilities under Hashiguchi's deft hand. The print has an almost ethereal quality, capturing a moment of personal reflection with an emphasis on minimalism and refinement.

Artist Background:
Goyo Hashiguchi (1880-1921) was a prominent artist in the Shin-hanga ("new prints") movement, which sought to revitalize traditional ukiyo-e techniques with Western artistic influences. Trained in Western-style painting at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, Hashiguchi combined this background with his profound respect for Japanese tradition to create works that are celebrated for their elegance and technical mastery.

Significance in Hashiguchi's Career:
"Woman Combing Her Hair" is one of Hashiguchi's most famous works and is considered a benchmark for Shin-hanga portraits. Created in 1920, this print exemplifies the artist's synthesis of Western realism and traditional Japanese aesthetics. It is one of a series of Bijin-ga (beautiful woman pictures) he produced, each capturing the nuanced beauty and quiet dignity of Japanese women in everyday scenes.

Current Location & Exhibitions:
The original woodblock print can be found in various museums and private collections worldwide. Institutions such as the Tokyo National Museum and Western museums with extensive Japanese art collections, like the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (which has an impressive collection of Hashiguchi's works), might house an edition of this print.

Artistic and Cultural Context:
The painting fits seamlessly into the broader context of the Shin-hanga movement, which emerged in the 20th century as a response to the decline of traditional ukiyo-e. By integrating Western artistic elements and improving printing technologies, artists like Hashiguchi reinvigorated this storied genre of Japanese art. The delicate interplay of form, color, and emotion in "Woman Combing Her Hair" underscores the movement's commitment to modernizing Japanese art while preserving its intrinsic values.

- Innovation in Technique: Hashiguchi's use of delicate gradations and exacting detail in woodblock printing set new standards, influencing many contemporaries and successors in the Shin-hanga movement.
- Emotional Resonance: The painting transcends mere portraiture by evoking a deep sense of quiet introspection, making it an enduring piece in the canon of early 20th-century Japanese art.
- Limited Prints: As with many Shin-hanga works, prints by Hashiguchi are limited editions, adding to their value and desirability for collectors.

In summary, Goyo Hashiguchi's "Woman Combing Her Hair" is a masterful blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics with innovative techniques, capturing the timeless beauty and grace of the subject in an intimate, personal moment.