Beauty Beneath a Willow Tree
Isoda Koryusai
Edo period, c. 1780
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink on silk
Dimensions
100.2 × 32.6 cm (39 7/16 × 12 7/8 in.); Overall with mount and knobs: 184 × 52.4 cm (72 7/16 × 20 5/8 in.)
Classification
hanging scroll
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
8900
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This image focuses on a young woman as she strolls beneath a willow tree, lost in thought. She wears a black kimono over layers of red and an obi sash embroidered with phoenixes—elaborate attire that suggests she is on the way to some engagement. The abundant details in the patterns and colors of her outfit stand out against the abbreviated landscape rendered in ink.