The artwork, titled “Looking as if she is waking up – The appearance of a maiden of the Koka era,” was created by the esteemed artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi in the year 1888. This piece is a part of the Ukiyo-e art movement and falls under the portrait genre. It belongs to a series entitled “Thirty-two Aspects of Daily Life.”
The artwork portrays a maiden adorned in traditional Japanese attire, seemingly in a moment of morning preparation as she engages in the act of brushing her teeth. The delicately illustrated figure exudes an aura of serene beauty, with her hair elegantly styled and adorned with a hairpin. The garment’s intricate patterns and the thoughtful inclusion of a morning glory vine in the background enhance the overall aesthetic appeal and context of daily life in the Koka era. The subtlety of expression and the meticulous attention to detail in the rendering of textures and fabrics are hallmark characteristics of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s craftsmanship, reflective of the Ukiyo-e style’s emphasis on capturing transient moments of beauty.
