Young Woman Dressed as a Mendicant Monk c. 1770

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print titled, Young Woman Dressed as a Mendicant Monk, sometime between 1765 and 1770. Harunobu worked during the Edo period, a time of relative peace and economic growth in Japan, which fostered a vibrant urban culture and a flourishing of the arts. The print depicts a young woman in disguise, a theme common in ukiyo-e prints, which often explored the blurring of social roles and identities. She’s dressed as a monk, yet her elegant kimono and carefully styled hair hint at her true identity. Her downcast gaze creates a sense of introspection. The mendicant disguise might touch on the fluidity of identity and the performative aspects of gender and class. Harunobu's delicate lines, subtle colors, and focus on the intimate, everyday moments of women's lives shaped how beauty and identity were perceived. This print allows us to consider the emotional depth and social commentary that could be conveyed within the seemingly simple image of a woman in disguise.