Yoshitoshi's Thirty-two Aspects of Women - Yoshitoshi's finest series of bijin-ga or pictures of beautiful women, "Thirty-two Aspects of Women" features portraits of beauties in a lighthearted reference to the thirty-two notable features of Buddha. The women depicted come from all social classes, representing beauties from the late 18th century through Yoshitoshi's own time.

Each design captures a woman in a scene from daily life, realistically and sensitively portrayed as individuals rather than idealized figures. Elegant fabrics are beautifully rendered, and hairstyles and facial features are drawn with the most delicate of lines. The series was beautifully printed using deluxe techniques, such as soft bokashi shading, embossing, and burnishing, creating some of the finest prints of the Meiji era.

"Thirty-two Aspects" proved popular with the public when first published, and has been appreciated by viewers and collectors ever since. Designs in this fantastic series are some of the most highly sought after woodblocks of the Meiji era, and are certainly considered masterworks of Yoshitoshi's career.

Shy: the appearance of a maiden of the Meiji era, No. 29 - Yoshitoshi’s wonderful portrait of this young beauty is a lovely classic image from the series. She bites her sleeve in a gesture that is both shy and flirtatious, a typical feminine response to a compliment. She wears an informal kimono in a plaid pattern, the design rendered to give a realistic soft appearance to the folds. Her simple hairstyle, beautifully drawn and carved, features a few delicate strands framing her face. A lovely Yoshitoshi woodblock with wonderful fine line work in the hairstyle. An excellent lithograph edition of this famous design.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 1/2" + margins as shown

Condition - Excellent with no issues to report.