Court Lady with Fan and Moon Behind Waves c. 1822

Yashima Gakutei created this woodblock print entitled ‘Court Lady with Fan and Moon Behind Waves’. During the Edo period, when Gakutei was working, Japanese society was highly stratified, and the lives of women, especially those in the upper classes, were often confined by rigid social expectations. The woman depicted in the artwork can be seen as representative of the cultural ideals of beauty and refinement. The integration of natural elements like the moon and waves, alongside the cherry blossom motif, symbolizes the transient nature of life, echoing Buddhist philosophies prevalent at the time. The lady with her fan, an instrument often used in theatrical performances, seems to be playing a part on a bigger stage. This print encapsulates a world where identities are carefully constructed and performed, inviting us to consider the tension between visibility and the hidden emotional depths of those living within it.