Appearing Warm, Behavior of an Urban Widow of the Kansei Era, March 1888
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On a cold winter day, a lonely widow is tucked under a heavy kimono, seeking warmth from a kotatsu, a low, wooden table covered by a blanket with a charcoal brazier underneath. Unique to Japan, this source of heating is still used today, albeit the heat source is now electric. The widow is absorbed in a novel and about to turn a page. Her cat lies next to her on top of the kotatsu, enjoying the warmth as well. The time period this portrait refers to is the Kansei era (1789–1801), when married women had their eyebrows shaved off as a sign of dedication to their husbands.
Details
- Title
- Appearing Warm, Behavior of an Urban Widow of the Kansei Era
- Artist Life
- 1839 - 1892
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2017.106.195
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Keyes, Courage and Silence (1982), no. 503.5; Iwakiri, Yoshitoshi (2014), p. 276.
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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