Title : Young Woman With Plectrum and Practice Book

Artist : Ishikawa Toyonobu

Date : c. 1748

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : A girl stands holding a shamisen (Japanese musical instruments) plectrum and a practice book for the Tokiwazu ballad. The girl wears a crest inscribed with the character “Some” and may be intended to represent the popular Kabuki heroine “Osome.” No specific play about Osome seems to have been performed in the late 1740’s, however, and the girl may represent a well-known geisha of the period whose name is not recorded. The kimono demonstrates dan-gawari (literally, different levels), a type of garment patterning consisting of alternating blocks of differing materials, colors, or designs. This kimono looks like a patchwork of different motifs: plums, chidori (thousand birds), whirls, Körin-giku (chrysanthemum designed by Körin) etc. The different materials, patterns and textures in this vivid kimono made a bold fashion statement. (from "VOGUE in Japan: Edo Fashion through Japanese prints" exhibiton 07/30/08-)

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