Picture Book of Evergreens Possibly 1731 - 1738

This is a page from “Picture Book of Evergreens” by Nishikawa Sukenobu, made sometime in the early 1700s using woodblock printing. The scene invites us to consider the serene lifestyle of women within the upper classes of Edo period Japan. The woman depicted is elaborately dressed, indicating wealth and status, further emphasized by the tranquil waterside setting. The scene is likely a constructed one, where the status of women of the time was mediated by the cultural institutions of art, poetry and literature. What is most interesting is the role of publishing in that period of Japan's history. The artist’s integration of text and image, as well as the book format itself, show how the rise of literacy and printing technology shaped new ways of seeing and representing the world. By examining the socio-economic context of this artwork, we can learn about the artist's life, the publishing industry, and the role of women in Japanese society. In doing so, we can start to understand more about the social life of art.