Beauty in Peony Garden
On View In:
Gallery 239
Artist:   Hiroshige Utagawa
Seiemon Aritaya  
Title:   Beauty in Peony Garden  
Date:   1847-1852  
Medium:   Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper  
Dimensions:   14 5/16 x 9 11/16 in. (36.4 x 24.6 cm) (image) 14 5/8 x 9 7/8 in. (37.1 x 25.1 cm) (sheet)  
Credit Line:   Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.  
Location:   Gallery 239  

After sumptuary edicts were issued in 1842, restrictions against luxurious fashions became even more strident. Subdued colors and simple stripes became the norm, even among the women working in pleasure quarters. By the mid-19th century, wearing clothing with muted colors and patterns was no longer a government imperative, but was regarded as exhibiting good taste. As outer robes became simpler, fashionistas shifted their focus to the linings and inner robes. The woman in this print, for example, wears a rather simple plaid kimono, but her inner robe is bright red. In addition, the blue lining of her robe matches her obi sash. The dark stripe in the center of the sash has the floral pattern that is echoed by the pattern of the sash's red lining. Such close attention to detail indicates a subtle and sophisticated fashion sense.

Artist/Creator(s)     
Name:   Utagawa, Hiroshige  
Nationality:   Japanese  
Life Dates:   Japanese, 1797 - 1858  
 
Name:   Aritaya, Seiemon  
Role:   Publisher  
Nationality:   Japanese  
 

Object Description  
  
Inscriptions:   Hirobiro to cho_ mo kite mau botan kana How delightful to see a butterfly dancing aroud pe Censor:Muramatsu, Fukushima Publisher:Aritaya Collector:?  
Classification:   Prints  
Creation Place:   Asia, Japan, , ,  
Accession #:   81.133.100  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts