Beauty of the Enpo Period

A fourth variant in Kiyochika's series of historical [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) evoking the Enpo period (1673–1681), this print depicts a woman in period-appropriate dress rendered through the conventions of late Meiji woodblock printing. The Enpo era fell before the development of polychrome [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e), lending these reconstructions a slightly antiquarian character that Kiyochika likely emphasized through muted palette choices or simplified patterning on the kimono. The figure's pose and the arrangement of her garments distinguish this sheet from the other three works sharing the title, functioning as an individual unit within what was probably issued as a complete decorative set. Kiyochika's treatment of the figure reflects his training in both Japanese and Western pictorial conventions.