Beauty Turning Her Head c. 1685s

This scroll painting, *Beauty Turning Her Head*, was created by Hishikawa Moronobu in Japan. It's made with ink and color on paper, a traditional support for painting, and a material made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. The artist skillfully depicts the subject’s elegant pose, with delicate brushstrokes defining the flowing robes. Notice the intricate floral patterns on the kimono, achieved with meticulous attention to detail. While seemingly straightforward, the creation of this piece would have been a labor-intensive undertaking. The paper itself had to be carefully prepared and sized. Then the ink and pigments were manufactured from natural materials, requiring a deep understanding of their properties. The artist's mastery is clear, but we also have to appreciate the many hands involved in the work's creation, from the papermakers, to the pigment grinders, to the mounters who gave the scroll its final form. Recognizing this layered effort allows us to expand our appreciation, and value the collaborative nature of artistic production.