The Snow Storm 1932

Ito Shinsui made this print of a snowstorm, but when is anyone's guess! And what materials were used to make it? Again, a mystery, but what a beautiful one. I imagine the artist, Shinsui, really sinking into the snow, feeling the sting of the wind and the weight of the flakes as he made this picture. Snow isn't just white, right? There's a whole palette in there. The red and pink are like the warmth of the woman standing in the storm. I love how the blue patterned fabric looks heavy but is also so delicate. Is it a kimono, or a blanket? Is she protecting herself from the storm or weighed down by it? The tilt of her head suggests something melancholic, introverted, and the color of the garment seems to echo her mood. It's a conversation, you see? Shinsui talking to us, but also talking to other artists, across time and place. Each stroke is a thought, a feeling, a question. And it all adds up to something bigger than just a picture of a snowstorm.