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A young woman dressed in a cooling after bath shift, hangs up a mosquito net, all while a single firefly zips by -— an image that captures a single moment in time. There are other examples of a beauty shown with a mosquito net, such as Utamaro's more voluptuous forms, but here the painter has turned toward a more sophisticated image on the theme. Lily patterns were not common onbath shifts during the Tenmei era (1781–1789), and thus their use here might reflect a contemporary Art Nouveau touch in Shôen’s choice of motif. The narrow obi tied to the side is a style worn before retiring for the night, yet another example of the painter's careful and detailed observation.

Details

  • Title: Firefly
  • Creator Lifespan: 1875 - 1949
  • Creator Nationality: Japan
  • Creator Gender: Female
  • Date Created: 1913
  • Location Created: Kyoto, Japan
  • 材質・技法(日本語): 絹本・彩色・軸(1幅)
  • 作家名(日本語): 上村松園
  • 作品名(日本語):
  • Physical Dimensions: w977 x h1745 mm
  • Painter: Uemura Shōen
  • Type: Nihonga (Modern Japanese Paintings)
  • Rights: Yamatane Museum of Art, Japan, © Yamatane Museum of Art, 2013
  • Medium: Color on Silk

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