Ancient Court Wagon for Ladies

"Ancient Court Wagon for Ladies" depicts the elaborate gissha — the ox-drawn carriage used by aristocratic women in the Heian period — a vehicle so enclosed and carefully screened that it preserved the visual mystery of its occupants from public view. The gissha was an icon of classical court culture, its appearance in art signaling a connection to the refined aesthetic world of the Heian aristocracy. Bakufu's rendering of this historical subject suggests his interests extended well beyond marine natural history.