Princess Sotoori (Sotoori-hime), from the series Sketches by Gekkô (Gekkô zuihitsu)

The Gekkō zuihitsu series — "Sketches by Gekkō," with zuihitsu literally meaning "following the brush" — gathered a range of subjects including historical figures, nature studies, and classical literary themes under the conceit of informal personal sketches. This framing gave Gekkō latitude to work in a looser, more painterly register than highly polished commercial bijin-ga editions required. Sotoori-hime, the luminously beautiful consort of Emperor Ingyō, is depicted here within that looser formal register, likely shown in classical Yamato-period court dress with characteristic long black hair, layered robes, and a posture recalling Heian-period kana poetry illustrations. The zuihitsu series format typically uses a distinctive printed cartouche or series title block, and prints within it often exhibit a refined but less commercially saturated color palette than Gekkō's large war print or bijin series work. The historical and literary resonance of Sotoori-hime — celebrated for both her beauty and her waka compositions — would have made her a natural choice for inclusion in a series presenting Gekkō's range of scholarly and aesthetic interests.