Standing Geisha
Ishikawa Toyonobu
c. 1748
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; urushi-e, vertical oban diptych
Dimensions
65.4 × 24.7 cm (25 3/4 × 9 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21458
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
A geisha holds a practice book for a narrative musical (joruri) in her left hand and a plectrum (bachi) for playing the shamisen in her right hand. She is on her way to her music lessons. This joruri was first performed at the Nakamura theater in 1744. The crest (mon) on the geisha’s boldly patterned kimono depicts the character some, which was perhaps part of her name.
About the Artist
Ishikawa Toyonobu · 1711–1785
Japanese, 1711–1785