Writing (Sho)
Utagawa Toyoharu
Description
This woodblock print illustrates the importance of writing in elite women’s social lives. Three women gather around a set of scrolls and writing instruments; the figure on the right is actively engaged in brushing calligraphy. While traditionally the Four Accomplishments (calligraphy, painting, music, and the board game Go) were cultivated by elite males in Japan, some of the most important works of literature were produced by Japanese women. The Tale of Genji, for example, widely recognized as the world’s first novel and still read around the world today, was written by a Japanese noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu (973–1014/25).
Subject Matter:
Utagawa Toyoharu was the founder of the Utagawa school and was known for his western-style symmetrical uki-e pictures that displayed a sense of depth. This print is un like his western-style work but shows the depth that is common in many of his works.
Women were writers in Japan. Some of the most famous authors of Japan are women (Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon) so this depiction of women writing is not out of the norm like with many western countries.
Physical Description:
This painting depicts three women in a room. There are two women sitting on the floor attending to scrolls. They both have calligraphy brushes in their hands but only the one on the right is actively writing. Behind them and beyond the sliding doors is the yard with a large vase with a dragon. Beyond that are a stream and flowers. The third woman stands in the doorway observing the two writers. She stands in the sliding doors and twists a string between her fingers. Above the scene is a cloud shape containing a single character on the far left edge. On the bottom left is a vertical inscription followed by two seals.
Usage Rights:
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