Ensei, c. 1828-1830

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The poetry circle Hisakataya and Kuniyoshi together created two different series picturing the heroes of the Chinese epic "Water margin" as beautiful women. This print belongs to the later of the two series, published around 1829. The woman depicted here represents Ensei (Yan Qing, in Chinese), one of the youngest among the 108 heroes-a good-looking, fair-skinned man who excelled in music and dance. Her white wide-sleeved robe and lacquered hat are typical attire of shirabyøshi, female song-and-dance entertainers at temple and court festivals during the 12th and the 13th centuries.

Details
Title
Ensei
Artist Life
1798 - 1861
Role
Artist
Accession Number
81.133.154
Catalogue Raisonne
Robinson, 1961, no. 16
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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