Woman In Loosened Kimono Coming From the Bath 1745 - 1765

Okumura Masanobu created this woodblock print of a woman in a loosened kimono in the early 18th century. Note the willow tree above the woman, which has long symbolized grace, resilience, and the fleeting nature of beauty, emotions, and life. The fan she holds is adorned with an image, perhaps a theatrical scene, hinting at entertainment and the world of the floating world, or ukiyo, that Masanobu so masterfully captured. The gesture of the woman adjusting her collar has echoes in classical depictions of Venus, or Aphrodite, goddess of love, rising from the sea, a symbol of beauty, sensuality, and the eternal feminine. Like the goddesses, she is in a state of undress. Here, rather than emerging from water, the woman comes from her bath. This intimate moment connects us to the timeless themes of beauty, ritual, and the human form, echoing through history. This woman is a memory, a fleeting moment in time, a symbol of grace and beauty.