Genre Scenes

In this signature work, the artist Choshun depicted a group of dancers performing at a samurai residence. It begins with them on their way to the residence, and ends with a scene of them preparing behind a screen. This picture scroll depicts three separate scenes. It was painted by Miyagawa Choshun, an artist active during the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 to 1868. Though Choshun specialized in ukiyo-e, he eschewed woodblock prints in favor of hand-painted works. This is one of his representative paintings. On the right, amid a spring scene of blooming plum blossoms, we see several women, believed to be performers. They are accompanied by female attendants and men who carry clothes and stage props. A samurai clad in a haori jacket is guiding the group along the road. A number of passers-by are drawn in front of them, including a fishmonger, children, and women. The central scene appears to show the inner sanctum of a samurai residence. High-ranking ladies and their attendants are watching a performance through bamboo blinds.

This is a female realm, with no men present. The woman sitting on the mat closest to the blinds is probably the lady of the manor. Perhaps this painting was commissioned to commemorate a performance that actually occurred in a place like this. The sheer size of the work also suggests it was not painted for commoners. If we glance further to the left, our eyes will finally alight on the stage itself. The main performer dances with an umbrella for the ladies watching behind the blinds. Several accompanying musicians and other performers kneel to the rear. Behind them is a folding screen with a black ink painting. On the other side is the backstage area, where the performers get ready to perform. Most of the large figures depicted here are flamboyantly-attired ladies. The artist has skillfully detailed the different styles of each woman through the patterns and colors of their garments.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.