Woman of the Island 1922

Ito Shinsui’s ‘Woman of the Island’, is a poetic print that delicately balances mood and technique. The woman’s pose and expression are central, yet it’s the careful application of color and form that really brings everything together. I’m drawn to the way the artist uses the medium to evoke a sense of quiet introspection. Notice how the indigo blue of the night sky contrasts with her pale skin, or how the water bucket reflects this blue in it's surface. There's a real intimacy, a vulnerability in her bowed head. The small white crosses on her Kimono are perfect, not too loud, but full of detail. For me they suggest both the sea spray, and the stars above. It’s in these little moments that the work really sings. Shinsui here feels similar to someone like Bonnard, especially in the focus on capturing the intimate and domestic. Like Bonnard, Shinsui isn’t necessarily aiming for a singular read, and that's where the art happens.