Trees that Bring Wealth and Prosperity: Beauty

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    1845
  • Geography

    Japan
  • Material

    Ink and color on paper
  • Dimension

    H x W (overall): 36.2 x 24.7 cm (14 1/4 x 9 3/4 in)
  • Accession Number

    S2004.3.231
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S2004.3.231

Object Details

  • Artist

    Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (1797-1858)
  • Label

    From a series linking various wifely virtues to trees that bring wealth and prosperity, this print by Hiroshige-an artist best known for his landscape series-portrays a young woman admiring herself in a mirror. She is shown from the rear, a view that displays with erotic suggestion the graceful curve of her neck, soft arms, and slender fingers. The wifely virtues praised here are cleanliness and good grooming. The poem underscores this theme:
    The mirror captures me
    in the very lap of luxury,
    amidst gorgeous flowers.
    Translation of poem by John T. Carpenter
  • Collection

    National Museum of Asian Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection (September 15, 2002 to January 9, 2003)
  • Origin

    Japan
  • Credit Line

    The Anne van Biema Collection
  • Type

    Print
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

    There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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