Paul Binnie

Scottish, b. 1967

A Hundred Shades of Ink of Edo: Kiyonaga's Pipe
(Edo zumi hyaku shoku: Kiyonaga no kiseru)

printed with bold sumi ink bokashi of baren swirls, the tattoo based on an ukiyo-e print by Kiyonaga depicting a bijin tapping an icicle, represented here by silver mica earring worn by the nude; the series title cartouche in gold in the upper right margin, Edo zumi hyaku shoku, the print title to the left with the first portion, Kiyonaga no, in the style of Kiyonaga's signature, followed by a kiseru (tobacco pipe), signed in gold kanji, Bin-ni, with artist's red seal Binnie in the shape of a kiseru, numbered and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, Paul Binnie, from an edition of 100, May 2010

oban tate-e 16 7/8 by 12 1/8 in., 43 by 30.8 cm

In this design, Binnie contrasts the beautiful figure with a tattoo derived from Torii Kiyonaga's (1752-1815) Knocking Icicles from the Eaves from circa 1786. In the original print, the bijin holds a long tobacco pipe with which she knocks icicles from the eaves of a house. Playfully, Binnie gives the model an icy earing, which the tattooed bijin attempts to knock from the earlobe.

price: $700