A Picture Contest — 絵合

Two Heian-court women with long black hair and multi-layered kimono kneel facing each other on a red floor covering; the woman at left wears green and white patterned robes and holds up a folded checkered fabric or object, while the woman at right wears an orange, yellow, and white patterned robe. Between them sit two low black lacquer trays or stands, one holding an open book or painting, the other holding rolled scrolls tied with blue ribbon; a red artist's seal appears in the lower right and a geometric grey emblem in the upper right corner. This woodblock print, titled "A Picture Contest — 絵合" by Ebina Masao (year unknown), uses flat areas of green, orange, yellow, red, and white against a plain cream background.