De vijfde maand 1901 - 1903

Migita Toshihide made this woodblock print, 'De vijfde maand,' without a known date, using delicate lines and a subdued color palette. It's a process where each color is printed from a separate block, building up the image layer by layer. I’m drawn to the way Toshihide uses color to evoke a sense of mystery and depth. Look at the figure of the woman, her kimono a play of purples and blues, patterned with an almost ghostly green. The overall texture is smooth, but you can sense the grain of the wood in the print, giving it a tactile quality, a sense of history. There's a shadowy figure lurking in the background and the small bright dots of light floating in the air, heightening the dreamlike mood of the composition. The figure is holding a fan with both hands. This print reminds me of Utamaro's work, both artists capturing fleeting moments of beauty, but Toshihide adds a layer of the supernatural. Art is like a conversation across time, where each artist brings their unique voice to the dialogue. It's about embracing the unknown and finding beauty in the unexpected.