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Somenosuke of the Matsubaya, kamuro Wakagi and Wakaba, from the series Beauties for the Five Festivals (Bijin gosekku)

Somenosuke of the Matsubaya, kamuro Wakagi and Wakaba, from the series Beauties for the Five Festivals (Bijin gosekku)

(Japanese, active 1790–1823)
(Japanese)
about 1795–97 (Kansei 7–9)
Medium/TechniqueWoodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
DimensionsVertical ôban; 38.5 x 24 cm (15 3/16 x 9 7/16 in.)
Credit LineWilliam Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession number11.14697
On View
Not on view
ClassificationsPrints
Description
One of the special pleasures of the Tango Festival in the fifth month (also called the Boys’ Festival or Iris Festival) was the use of leaves of an iris-like plant to scent bathwater. In this intimate close-up portrait of the courtesan Somenosuke just after her bath, the beauty has tied an iris leaf around her hair. The translucent gauze fan that she holds suggests that is already hot enough for baths to be especially pleasant.
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850 - d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: August 3, 1911)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.