Female Figure on Waves Bookmark

Bertha Lum (American, 1869–1954)
Untitled (Female figure on waves playing flute to swallows), 1920

After studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, Bertha Lum traveled to Japan and was captivated by the art of woodblock printing. Largely self-taught, she developed an exotic style that combined the sinuous curves of art nouveau with the flat planes of color reminiscent of ukiyo-e.