Beauties ina Treasure Boat (Bijin takarabune) [Left-hand Sheet of a triptych]
Hosoda Eishi
Description
Subject Matter:
Hosoda Eishi is famous for his portraits of beautiful women in his work. The title, "bijin takarabune" insinuates that the beauty of these women is treasure-like in addition to the treasure of the boat. The boat itself is modeled after a peacock. The peacock in Japanese culture is related to Buddhist divinity and is considered a guardian against disaster and hardship. The determination found in the peacock's eyes could be the boat's desire to get the women safely to their destination and ward off any disasters.
Physical Description:
This print depicts two women in a boat. The boat's head is the face of a peacock and makes its way to the left. Inside the boat, one woman sits with one hand to her face and another holding a scroll. The woman standing next to her looks down at her and holds a quiver of arrows with a bow. There is an inscription on the left edge near the peacock's mouth. Below it is a seal. There is also another seal below the boat.
Usage Rights:
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