Nummer vier: Meisje schrijft gedicht c. 1825

This woodblock print titled 'Nummer vier: Meisje schrijft gedicht' was made by Yashima Gakutei, an artist working in Japan during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Gakutei was a student of Hokusai, and produced many prints depicting poets and beautiful women. Here, we see a young woman kneeling, a writing brush held to her lips in contemplation, her poem before her. Behind her is an abstracted landscape with a bare tree, and an inscription in Japanese calligraphy. This print is one of a series of four depicting a woman, flowers, and a poem. In this case, cherry blossoms scattered in the background suggest the impermanence of beauty. Prints like this were commercial products sold to a wide public, and understanding the social world of the pleasure districts is crucial to understanding this work. By researching the popular literature and poetry of the period, along with the history of Japanese printmaking, we can better understand the role of art in Japanese society.