Woman Washing her Hair Possibly 1920 - 1929

Curator: We’re looking at "Woman Washing Her Hair" by Hashiguchi Goyō, a work held here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a woodblock print, about 18 by 14 inches. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the sheer simplicity of the composition—almost monochromatic but incredibly intimate. It feels both classical and modern. Curator: Woodblock prints like this often use the female figure to symbolize purity and domesticity, but Goyō complicates this by focusing on a very private moment of self-care. The act of washing hair can represent purification. Editor: Yes, and the way her gaze is directed downwards, lost in thought, amplifies this idea of introspection. The almost ghostly pallor of her skin against the black of her hair is striking. Curator: The artist employs the Japanese concept of "Ma" or negative space to emphasize the woman's form and the delicate details of the water and her hair. Editor: "Ma," exactly! It's not just emptiness, but a vital element giving weight to everything else. It's like a quiet poem about being alone, but not lonely. Curator: Indeed, and that's the power of symbols: they invite us to project our own experiences onto the image, finding resonance in the artist's vision. Editor: It really is a lovely, contemplative image. I find myself lingering over it even now.