Chinese Beauty Beside a Plum Tree, leaf from the album “A Contest of Beauties from the Near and Distant Past” (Chūko shomeika bijin kurabe) 1895

Around 1770, Genki created “Chinese Beauty Beside a Plum Tree” using ink and color on paper. It is a leaf from an album called “A Contest of Beauties from the Near and Distant Past.” The artist's technique, using ink wash and delicate brushwork, has imbued the paper with social and cultural significance. Each stroke involved precise control and mastery, building on traditions passed down through generations. As a result, the paper seems to breathe with a quiet, cultivated air. The use of plum blossoms and a Chinese beauty suggests a reverence for Chinese culture, but it also hints at the complex social and political dynamics of the time. These luxury goods were tied to wider social issues of class and consumption. Ultimately, this artwork invites us to consider the ways in which materials, making, and context intersect to create meaning, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.