Geisha in a Hurry
Woodblock Print
1810-1818 (made)
1810-1818 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Woodblock prints such as this were produced in large numbers in 18th- and 19th-century Japan. This print was published in the early 1800s, by which time the techniques of full-colour printing had been perfected. Prints such as this are sometimes called ukiyo-e, which means 'pictures of the floating world’. This world was one of transient delights and changing fashions centred on the licensed pleasure districts and popular theatres found in the major cities of Japan.
In this print, a geisha (entertainer) is pictured as if rushing to keep an appointment. Images of beautiful women like this served as guides to and souvenirs of the faces and changing hair- and dress-styles of the women who worked in the pleasure quarters.
In this print, a geisha (entertainer) is pictured as if rushing to keep an appointment. Images of beautiful women like this served as guides to and souvenirs of the faces and changing hair- and dress-styles of the women who worked in the pleasure quarters.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Geisha in a Hurry (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Woodblock print on paper |
| Brief description | Woodblock print, 'Geisha in a Hurry' from a series by Utagawa Kuniyasu (1794-1832), Japan |
| Physical description | Woodblock print. Ōban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). Figure on plain ground. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Object history | Purchased from S. M. Franck & Co., accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | Woodblock prints such as this were produced in large numbers in 18th- and 19th-century Japan. This print was published in the early 1800s, by which time the techniques of full-colour printing had been perfected. Prints such as this are sometimes called ukiyo-e, which means 'pictures of the floating world’. This world was one of transient delights and changing fashions centred on the licensed pleasure districts and popular theatres found in the major cities of Japan. In this print, a geisha (entertainer) is pictured as if rushing to keep an appointment. Images of beautiful women like this served as guides to and souvenirs of the faces and changing hair- and dress-styles of the women who worked in the pleasure quarters. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.10458-1886 |
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| Record created | November 7, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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