Precepts for Women (Ehon Onna imagawa) 絵本女今川

Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Onna Imagawa, written by Sawada Kichi, was first published in 1700. The book went through many editions, a number of which were illustrated. Hokusai avoided direct illustration of the text, but he did create images representing the greatest feminine virtues. Here, a woman relaxes after a summer bath on her veranda while a scholarly gentleman peeks at her through a gap in the fence. Stylistically, the print seems to date to the artist's Iitsu period (ca. 1820–33), but the only dated edition refers to the year 1844.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art