Search Results

Title

Courtesan and client: parody of the Kiritsubo Chapter of the Tale of Genji (Mitate Genji Kiritsubo)

Artist

Okumura Masanobu

Physical Description

A monochrome print depicting two standing women and a reclining man in a room. The taller woman, a courtesan, wears an elaborate kimono of butterfly design and under-kimono of geometric patterns; her hair is tied on the back, wearing tortoise shell comb and hairpin. She is holding skirts of kimono and under-kimono with her right hand and is hiding her left hand under the kimono. The second woman, an attendant, is standing behind the courtesan, holding a doll of a boy and her face turning away. She wears a plain kimono with pine tree design and obi (sash) with striped patterns. The man is reclining and looking toward the courtesan. They seem to engage in conversation. The man wears kimono with design of coins and short jacket with plaid patterns. His hair is shaved on top and tied on the back. There is a folded screen behind him, depicting a plum tree by river. In front of him, there are a sake pitcher, sake cup and its stand, and a bowl with food accompanied by a tray and chopsticks. There is a title of the print in cartouche at upper right.

Artist Life Dates

1686-1764

Century

18th century

Object Creation Date

1711-1716

Accession Number

1948/1.198

Medium and Support

Oban (large-size) sumizurii-e (monochrome woodblock print) on paper

relevance

rank 14.70323

Primary Keywords

brothels

butterfiles

courtesan

plumb tree

screen (furniture)

Title

Evening in Tokyo: Figures in Silhouette behind a Shoji screen

Artist

Takahashi Hiroaki

Physical Description

Near dusk, a woman in a kimono walks outside a Japanese style building with a shoji screen for a wall. The silhouettes of merry-makers inside can be seen, revealing the figure of a man and also a woman, probably a geisha, holding an instrument that appears to be a shamisen.

Artist Life Dates

1871-1944

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

circa 1900-1921

Accession Number

1991/2.110

Medium and Support

color woodblock print on paper

relevance

rank 14.24828

Primary Keywords

building

instruments, musical

kimono

night

screen (furniture)

tokyo (metropolis)

ukiyo-e

Title

Animals of the Zodiac (pair with 2003/1.383.2)

Artist

Yoshikawa Kôkei

Physical Description

The animals are presented in zodiac sequence, from right to left: mouse, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, goat, monkey, chicken, dog, and boar. The eight-fold screen allows the animals to seem to walk across the space. Negative space plays a significant role in the screen, creating a place for the animals to exist and at the same time extending into the room.

Artist Life Dates

active 1920's

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1924

Accession Number

2003/1.383.1

Medium and Support

one of a pair of six-fold screens, ink and color on silk

relevance

rank 13.36727

Primary Keywords

dragon

ox

rabbit

screen (furniture)

tiger

zodiac signs

zodiac symbol

Title

Animals of the Zodiac (pair with 2003/1.282.1)

Artist

Yoshikawa Kôkei

Physical Description

The animals are presented in zodiac sequence, from right to left: mouse, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, goat, monkey, chicken, dog, and boar. The eight-fold screen allows the animals to seem to walk across the space. Negative space plays a significant role in the screen, creating a place for the animals to exist and at the same time extending into the room.

Artist Life Dates

active 1920's

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1924

Accession Number

2003/1.383.2

Medium and Support

one of a pair of six-fold screens, ink and color on silk

relevance

rank 12.79174

Primary Keywords

horse

ink

screen (furniture)

zodiac in art

zodiac signs

zodiac symbol