Tang Furen, from the series Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety 1830 - 1850

This woodblock print, *Tang Furen*, is part of Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s *Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety* series, a collection of illustrations of exemplary filial piety in Chinese history. This print from the series depicts the story of Tang Furen who, despite being extremely ill and with her husband away from home, refused to eat any medicine because she was afraid that it would affect her milk and make it harmful for her baby. Kuniyoshi highlights the emotional intensity of the moment through the use of dynamic poses and dramatic facial expressions. This work is characteristic of Kuniyoshi’s artistic style, which combines vivid colors and precise details with a dramatic and energetic composition.