Misty Spring 1933

Torii Kotondo made this print, Misty Spring, using the Ukiyo-e woodblock technique. Look at the evenness of the grey background, almost like a hazy atmosphere. The face is so smooth, so light, and so soft, that it gives the feeling of spring, as if her skin is reflecting light. I can imagine Kotondo-san carefully carving the woodblocks for each color, thinking about how each layer would build up the image. He's really considering the surface texture of the paper when creating the subtle gradations of color. The woman is wearing a gorgeous purple kimono patterned with white flowers. Kotondo-san is almost echoing the blossoms falling outside. I love the way he uses line in this print; it gives the impression of flow. The flow of the brush. The flow of the blossom in the air. Maybe I can try something like this in my next painting. It is the challenge of all artists to interpret the world around us.