A Girl with a Pipe 1775 - 1795

This is a woodblock print titled "A Girl with a Pipe," made by Torii Kiyonaga in Japan in the late 18th century. The image depicts a young woman in a kimono, standing by a window and holding a smoking pipe. The image speaks volumes about the social life of Edo-period Japan. The presence of the pipe suggests a level of leisure and sophistication. The elegant kimono hints at the woman's status, reflecting the rising merchant class and their embrace of refined culture. Woodblock prints at the time were often commissioned by the elite to circulate images of themselves engaged in artistic pursuits. This print provides invaluable information to historians. By studying costume, cultural practices, and artistic styles, we can reconstruct a more complete picture of Japanese society. It reflects how art institutions shape both artistic production and consumption. The meaning of this artwork is contingent upon its social and institutional context.