Title: Waiting for the Moon to Rise (待月) Artist: Uemura Shoen(上村松园，1875–1949) Medium: Collotype Signature & Seal: Signed and sealed by the artist in the plate Sheet Size: 45.5 × 54.5 cm (17.9 × 21.5 in) Image Size: 44 × 53.5 cm (17.3 × 21.1 in) Paper Type: Washi (绵纸) This beautiful bijin-ga (美人画，Japanese beauty painting) was created in 1944 by Uemura Shoen 上村松园，a prominent female artist in Japan’s Meiji to Showa period Nihonga (traditional Japanese painting) scene. It stands as one of her classic late-career works. This piece was reprinted via collotype in the 2000s. In the artwork, a young woman dressed in a deep indigo kimono leans against a wooden railing in a side profile pose, gazing upward at the vast, empty sky—as if waiting for the moon to rise. Her hair bun is adorned with delicate hair ornaments; the cuffs of her kimono reveal a patterned inner lining, and the obi-jime (帯締，decorative cord for the kimono sash) at her waist features intricate patterns. These details all embody the elegant texture of traditional Japanese attire. The background uses a minimalist light gray tone (evoking the dusk sky), paired with a plain wooden railing, emphasizing the figure’s calm and solitary mood. Uemura Shoen’s bijin-ga is characterized by exquisitely rendered skin texture and graceful postures. Through the woman’s “chin-in-hand, upward-gazing” gesture, this painting conveys a quiet, slightly melancholic poetic atmosphere. Using meticulous brushwork techniques, it showcases the softness and dignity of women, delivering a classic and refined Eastern aesthetic—epitomizing her creative philosophy of “noble female imagery.” Her works preserved traditional Nihonga techniques (e.g., koso-hasshoku，silk painting with mineral pigments) while shaping “independent and elegant” female images from a woman’s perspective. Due to age, the print paper shows signs of oxidation, yellowing, and minor foxing, but is in good condition overall. This artwork has no frame. The framed image is just a display of the framed effect. Artist Note: Uemura Shoen (上村松园，born Uemura Tsune 上村津祢) was an influential female painter active during Japan’s Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, renowned for her elegant bijin-ga. She entered the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting at 12, studying under masters such as Suzuki Shonen, Kouno Bairei, and Takeuchi Seiho. At 15, she won first prize at the National Industrial Exhibition with “Four Seasons of Beauty,” earning the title “Kyoto’s Genius Girl.” Persisting in her art within a conservative art world, she depicted women with dignity and elegance. A frequent awardee at the Ministry of Education Fine Arts Exhibition, she received “permanent exemption from review” status. In 1941, she became a member of the Imperial Art Academy, and in 1948, she was awarded the Order of Culture—the first woman to receive this honor. - The picture is part of the description. The color of the item may be slightly different from the picture (due to camera and screen settings). - The successful bidder will be responsible for any customs duties and taxes (if applicable). - This item will be mailed by the postal service of Taiwan in the form of airmail with insurance attached.