Young Man Catching the Sleeve of a Court Lady
ca. 1766-68
In the Heian period (794-1185), a court lady would seek to catch the attention of a potential suitor by allowing her robes to trail out from beneath a bamboo blind. The classic work of Japanese literature, Lady Murasaki's Tale of Genji, frequently employed this device, and in visual art it became a standard signifier for the 10th-century romance. In this print, the sweet-faced girl's hairstyle and red skirt denote the Heian era, but her outer robe is an anachronism. The young man's looks are entirely contemporary.
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
10 3/4 x 7 7/8 in. (27.3 x 20 cm)
Gift of Mary and Allan Kollar, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum
2013.31.5
Provenance: [Sebastian Izzard, New York]; purchased from gallery by Allan Kollar, Seattle, Washington, 2009; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2013
Photo: Colleen Kollar Zorn
