Woman Reading under a Mosquito Net 1710 - 1730

Fuhiken Tokikaze made this hanging scroll painting, Woman Reading under a Mosquito Net, in 18th-century Japan. Consider the culture that produced this image: a strictly hierarchical society under the rule of the Shogun, with clear distinctions between the warrior, peasant, artisan, and merchant classes. The woman depicted here seems to be a member of the privileged classes because she is inside her home during the day and is literate. Reading was a key element of Japanese culture, tied to Buddhist education. Woodblock printing made books more widely available. A woman reading was a common trope in Japanese art and literature. However, the mosquito net suggests that she is inside during the day, perhaps to avoid being seen. The text is not clearly legible, implying that its content is not as important as the act of reading itself. To understand this image better, one could research the social and educational history of women in Japan. Paintings and prints, alongside literature, are important sources for such social histories.