HIRANO -- "Before the Mirror"

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Artist HIRANO, Hakuho (1879-1957)
Title "Before the Mirror"
("Kagami no Mae")
Date 1932 (Likely 1930's/40's printing.)
Series na
Publisher Watanabe Shozaburo
Seal, Carver/Printer No seal present.
(Robert Muller's copy of same print--illustrated in "The New Wave" book--is similarly un-sealed.)
Image Size 10 x 14 1/4
Impression Very Fine.
Nicely done "bokashi" shading to hand, face, and background; extensive "gauffrage" (embossing) to entire red kimono, green collar, hand towel, and hair-piece; gold/silver metallic pigment highlights to hairpin/drawer pulls; circular "baren sujizuri" to entire background.
Condition Very Good to Excellent. Clean backside. (Very faint mat-line image edges; slight fading; very slight wear; pencil notation lower verso margin.)
Reference/Illus "The Female Image," Plate #209. "New Wave," Plate #127.
Comments Without question, this is Hirano's finest "bijin-ga" image (lifetime total of only 6 known images, all 1932-36). Highly sought-after and rarely seen.
Item # BG-410
Price $1900 (Sold--BM)