Appearing Inquisitive, Behavior of a Maid of the Tenpō Era, April 1888
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Publisher: Tsunajima Kamekichiexpand_more
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
The Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation, gifts of various donors, by exchange, and gift of Edmond Freis in memory of his parents, Rose and Leon Freisexpand_more 2017.106.205
Not on Viewexpand_more
According to the title, this portrait refers to the Tenpō era (1830–44), and the woman is an okoshō, a maid in the service of a samurai family. She would have been sent there to learn good manners as part of her education. Ironically, Yoshitoshi captured her peering through slatted bamboo doors as if she were spying, perhaps on members of the family she serves.
The black-on-black peony pattern of her sash (obi) was achieved through a polishing technique called shōmen-zuri, in which the block with the pattern was placed behind the paper, and then the surface was rubbed with a hard polisher, such as porcelain.
Details
- Title
- Appearing Inquisitive, Behavior of a Maid of the Tenpō Era
- Artist Life
- 1839 - 1892
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2017.106.205
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Keyes, Courage and Silence (1982), no. 503.14; 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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.