After the Bath 1933

Kobayakawa Kiyoshi made this print called ‘After the Bath’. It’s a woodblock print, so imagine Kiyoshi carefully carving the image into blocks of wood, and layering colours in a way which is really subtle. I wonder what it was like for Kiyoshi to make this image – the act of drawing, carving, and printing, each step filled with decisions about line, tone, and texture. It's not just about depicting a woman but about capturing a moment, an atmosphere. Look at the way the black ink creates such dark shapes and patterns, and how the lighter areas of her skin and the towel offer a contrast. There’s a feeling of intimacy, like catching a glimpse of something private and serene. The towel obscures part of her face, creating an interesting tension between reveal and conceal. What is she thinking? What is she feeling? Kiyoshi was part of a whole community of printmakers, all riffing off each other's ideas and techniques, pushing the boundaries of the medium and creating something really special and new.