Delighted- The Appearance of a Geisha Today, during the Meiji Era 1888

Curator: So evocative! Immediately, I'm struck by a feeling of hushed intimacy. There's a dreamy quality, a kind of serene stillness about this portrait. Editor: Indeed! What we're seeing is "Delighted- The Appearance of a Geisha Today, during the Meiji Era," a woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, created around 1888. Yoshitoshi, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, gives us more than just a pretty face. The image provides social commentary on changing female representation at the time. Curator: You can feel that tension—the past meeting the present. Look at her elaborate hairstyle contrasted with what appears to be a contemporary kimono fabric. The butterflies flitting around the lanterns seem to reinforce the idea of fleeting beauty, typical of the era. It feels heavy and hopeful. Editor: Yoshitoshi was really at the forefront of blending traditional Japanese art with Western influences; this artwork really captures that Japonisme aesthetic, in the flattening of depth and unusual use of color. How do you read her gaze? Is it really delight? Or is there something else there? Curator: It's layered, isn't it? I think she projects a carefully constructed persona. There's vulnerability there, but it's framed by this elaborate presentation – a commentary on the constraints placed on women and their constructed images, the very artificiality of the delight she is compelled to exude. It reads as an insightful critique on how beauty standards of the time affected Japanese women. Editor: I see your point. Maybe "Delighted" is ironic. It's less a genuine emotion and more a role she's performing. That hint of sadness in her eyes—does Yoshitoshi feel compassion for the geisha or critique their trade? Curator: Exactly. It leaves us pondering on female experiences in this transformative Meiji era. Thanks for pointing that out; that really got me thinking. Editor: My pleasure. Let's move along to the next artwork!