Woman After Bath 1920

This is 'Woman After Bath' by Goyo Hashiguchi. The light color palette and delicate mark making gives this piece an airy quality, like observing a fleeting moment. In terms of the work’s materiality, the surface appears smooth, and the colors are applied in flat planes. This creates a sense of depth through layering, and allows the eye to linger on the contour of the figure. The flowing blue patterns of the cloth she holds contrast with the subtle shifts in tone of the woman's skin. These gradations are almost imperceptible. Then there is the stark contrast between the dark hair and the pale skin. I wonder if Hashiguchi was thinking about how we perceive light and shadow, and how it shapes our understanding of form. Hashiguchi's contemporary, Kitagawa Utamaro, comes to mind. In particular, the way he also captured intimate portrayals of women with a similar graphic sensibility. All the while reminding us that art is an ongoing conversation.