Design for the songlet -Dragon Gorges- c. 1930

Takehisa Yumeji created this design for a songlet with ink and color on paper. I imagine him in his studio, hunched over, carefully applying each delicate line. The colors are soft, like a faded memory— blues, reds, and greens intertwine in the pattern of the woman’s kimono. She’s caught in a moment of quiet introspection, her eyes closed. I wonder what she's thinking, what secrets her bowed head conceals? The lines are spare, economical, yet they capture the essence of her form. It's like Yumeji is whispering to us, inviting us to lean in close and share in this intimate moment. This reminds me of Utamaro and other ukiyo-e artists, but with a modern, melancholy twist. It's all one big conversation, artists building on each other's ideas across time and space.