Preparing to Take a Stroll; The Wife of a Nobleman of the Meiji Period 1888

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print of a noblewoman in the Meiji Period. It’s part of a series that captured the spirit of women during a time of immense change and Westernization in Japan. Here, the noblewoman embodies a fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics and Western fashion. She is dressed in a Western-style jacket and a bow tie, yet her hairstyle and the surrounding irises evoke classic Japanese art. This juxtaposition reflects the era's complex negotiation of identity. Yoshitoshi captures a sense of quiet anticipation as the woman prepares for a stroll, a seemingly simple act imbued with social significance. Her contemplative gaze hints at the internal negotiations of identity and societal expectations of women during the Meiji period. The print invites us to reflect on the intimate and personal dimensions of broader historical changes.