Nagajuban (Underrobe)
1920
Hashiguchi Goyō captured a moment of quiet intimacy in this 1920 masterpiece, depicting a woman draped in a floral underrobe known as a nagajuban. She stands tall and elegant, clutching a long green sash, her gaze cast downward in a pose that feels both modest and secretly sensual. As a key figure in Japanese modernism—specifically the Shin-hanga or 'new prints' movement—Goyō blended classic woodblock techniques with a fresh, almost photographic realism. Tragically, he died just a year after creating this piece, making his final works incredibly rare and highly prized treasures today.
- Technique
- Woodblock print