Surgical Ward' (Gekashitsu) from Bugei Kurabu (Literary Club) 1896 - 1916

'Surgical Ward' (Gekashitsu) from Bugei Kurabu (Literary Club), is a woodblock print by Mizuno Toshikata, dating back to the late 19th century. This print, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, depicts a scene of a woman in a traditional Japanese room. The woman is sitting, with a distressed expression and a head-bandage, while in a framed picture on the wall, a couple poses together in the foreground. The visual elements and the title suggest this print is likely dealing with a story of love and loss, common themes in Japanese woodblock printing. The artwork's subdued colours and realistic style are also characteristics of the shin hanga movement.