53 Ogata Gekkō 1859 – 1920 Embroidery (from the series An Assortment of Women's Customs)

Japan, 1891 (Meiji 24)

This immensely delicate and poetic sheet is the work of Ogata Gekkō, a prominent Meiji-era artist whose style formed a bridge between traditional ukiyo-e and the more modern shin-hanga movement. Dated 1891, the print originates from the series "An Assortment of Women's Customs," which sensitively documented the daily lives and activities of Japanese ladies. The scene captures a quiet moment on the wooden veranda (engawa) of a traditional home, where a seated woman is carefully examining or working on a piece of red fabric featuring white floral embroidery. She is accompanied by another woman standing closely behind her. Beyond the veranda lies a garden, highlighted by a blue-and-white pot containing a blooming peony and an exotic-looking palm tree. The composition is characterized by Gekkō's signature soft, almost watercolor-like brushwork and a highly muted, elegant color palette.