Beauty of the Enpo Period

This [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) depicts a woman in the fashions of the Enpo period (1673–1681), part of Kiyochika's series reconstructing the dress and deportment of beauties from earlier Edo eras. The Enpo period predates the [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) polychrome tradition, so Kiyochika draws on illustrated manuscripts and earlier single-color prints as visual sources for the figure's kimono, obi arrangement, and hairstyle. The composition likely isolates the figure against a plain or minimally rendered ground, directing attention to the textile patterns and silhouette characteristic of late seventeenth-century women's dress. As one of four prints bearing this title, the figure is distinguished by a specific pose, garment color, or accessory detail that differentiates her from her counterparts in the set.