After the Bath (Tokyo) 1946

Koshiro Onchi made this print called 'After the Bath' in Tokyo, and immediately, the inky blue background sucks me in. I love how he's using the woodblock almost like a brush, letting the grain and texture become part of the image. It feels immediate, like a quick sketch but with this deep, resonant color. Check out the way the blue pops against the pale kimono. Each petal shape is like a little explosion of energy, contained but vibrant. And those strokes aren't perfect, they're kind of ragged, giving the whole thing a raw, human feel. This reminds me a little of Matisse's paper cutouts – that same sense of bold simplicity and playful composition. But Onchi’s got this incredible depth, this moody atmosphere that pulls you into the quiet intimacy of the scene. It’s like a poem, hinting at more than it shows, and inviting you to fill in the spaces with your own imagination.