Woman Washing Her Face 1920

Editor: So, here we have "Woman Washing Her Face," created around 1920 by Goyo Hashiguchi. It’s… delicate. A watercolor, almost ephemeral, capturing a private moment. It feels so still and quiet. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Quietude, definitely. It’s like stepping into a whispered secret. Hashiguchi gives us this intimacy, doesn't he? The woman’s posture, the downcast gaze, even the way the water’s depicted—everything suggests a contained world. Does it feel modern to you, or traditional? Editor: Hmm, both, maybe? There’s a very modern sensibility, a focus on everyday life. But also, it’s very reminiscent of traditional Japanese woodblock prints with its elegant lines. Curator: Absolutely. It is rooted in that tradition, the *ukiyo-e*, "pictures of the floating world.” Yet, it pulls away, too. Hashiguchi was key to revitalizing *ukiyo-e*, making it new again. Does her gaze inward suggest anything about Japanese culture at this time, when tradition began commingling with Western life? Editor: It makes me think about shifting roles and identities. She seems… self-aware. Caught between worlds. Curator: Yes! Precisely. I wonder if she knows she is being seen. We think we are observing. I think the image invites the woman to also peer out at the viewer in quiet assessment. What does she want us to understand? Editor: I didn't think about that perspective! It makes me see the artwork in a completely different way. Thanks for that!