菊池契月筆　舞妓図|Maiko

Kikuchi Keigetsu

mid 1920s · Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk · Asian Art

A beautifully dressed and coifed apprentice geisha (maiko), kneels, eyes downcast, holding a half-open fan in her lap. The rich reddish-orange colors of her outer robe, with its small flourishes of gold, and underrobe are offset by the delicate pastel hues of her obi sash and hair ornaments. The subtle shading of her hair, and the lightest touches of color on her pale, made-up face reflect the idealist-realism of the Nihonga artist, Kikuchi Keigetsu, and the painting is typical of his serene and graceful images of women. Although his early studies were in Nanga (literati school) painting, Kikuchi was drawn to the newly flourishing "school" of Nihonga (Japanese-style painting), and went on to become one of the major Nihonga artists of the late Meiji and early Shōwa periods. His subject matter included contemporary life, imaginary fairy-tale like scenes, historical events, bird-and-flower imagery, and even early twentieth-century nationalist-militarist themes, but he is perhaps best known for his paintings of young women and girls.

Artist

Kikuchi Keigetsu

Date

mid 1920s

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2019