「はなもやう 享保」
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Image courtesy of
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
Description
The title 「はなもやう 享保」 — Flower Pattern, Kyōhō — pairs a floral design motif with reference to the Kyōhō era (1716–1736), suggesting a historical or costume-related subject evoking the fashion and visual culture of the mid-Edo period. This type of composition draws on the kōkei-ga tradition of nostalgic historical genre prints, presenting figures in period dress alongside the decorative textile patterns associated with Kyōhō-era style. Kiyochika produced series combining [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) with historical period settings, and this print likely shows a woman or group of women in Kyōhō-period costume, with the flower-pattern textile element either worn or displayed prominently in the composition. The approach signals Meiji-era interest in Edo-period aesthetics as objects of cultural memory rather than lived tradition.