The Lines Are So Simple,

but the effect is so beautiful,

that was my first thought when I came across this picture by Shimurs Tatsumi (1907-80), looking closer I found out that not a lot is known about Shimura, if he ever married or had children for instance, but his prints are highly prized and collectable,

 all that is known is that he lived in Yokohama from 1910 and there, at the age of 17, became an illustrator for a popular woman's magazine, "Fujokai" ("Women's World"),

 what is known is that he is well known for his 1953 five-print series titled "Five Figures of Modern Beauties" ("Gendai Bijin Fuzoku Gotai"), these "dai-oban" (large oban) prints were published by the Tokyo publisher, Nihon Hanga Kenkyusho (Kato Junji), which then ceased business in 1953 (active 1930-53; Tokyo),

 all five prints of the series were carved by NAKAGAWA Chushichi and were printed by ONODERA Ryuji (active c1940-c55, Tokyo), 

 the carving and printing of these "bijin-ga" prints is truly outstanding; quoting Phillip Roach of The Honolulu Academy of Arts, "(Shimura's) prints are technical marvels." all I can say is timeless beauty.