$2,000–$20,000+. Common prints: $2,000–$5,000. Key value factors: Kiyokata's influence as a teacher and his connection to Edo culture make his work highly valued. Paintings far exceed print prices.
Dated 1913, Chieko is an [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print that depicts a named individual rather than a generic beauty type, giving the portrait a specificity that distinguishes it from anonymous [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga). The name Chieko may refer to a historical figure, a literary character, or a real woman in Kaburaki's circle. Kaburaki Kiyokata was renowned for his ability to convey individual personality through subtle details of expression, posture, and costume, and a named portrait like this one would have demanded particular attention to the sitter's distinctive qualities. The 1913 Taisho-period date places the portrait at a moment when Japanese women's social roles were expanding and their self-presentation was becoming more varied and personal. Kaburaki's woodblock rendering preserves Chieko's likeness with the permanence that the print medium offers.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Chieko was created by Kaburaki Kiyokata (鏑木清方) in 1913.
Chieko was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1913).
Chieko depicts figures, bijin-ga, and portraits.
