Young Man Catching the Sleeve of a Court Lady

ca. 1766-68

Japanese, 1724 - 1770

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

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Fleeting Beauty: Japanese Woodblock Prints, Apr. 1 - July 4, 2010. Text by Catherine Roche. Cat. no. 13, reproduced p. 36.

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