The Diving Woman of Shido Bay
- Date:
- c. 1882
- Medium:
- Preparatory drawing for a print, ink on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 19.1 × 26.2 cm
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Description
"The Diving Woman of Shido Bay" (circa 1882) is a preparatory drawing depicting an ama—a female pearl or abalone diver—in the tradition of subjects drawn from coastal Japan's diving culture. The ama were celebrated in Japanese visual culture for their extraordinary physical courage and their semi-naked appearance while diving, which made them simultaneously practical workers and subjects of erotic fascination. Yoshitoshi's preliminary ink drawing captures the diver in motion, her form suggesting both the technical challenges of underwater work and the mythological associations of women who inhabited the boundary between sea and air.
More Prints by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
More Landscapes Prints
Lake Kugushi in Wakasa Province (Wakasa Kugushiko), from the series Souvenirs of Travel I (Tabi miyage dai isshu)"
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Autumn Maple Leaves at Takao, from the album Eight Views of Kyoto (Kyôto hakkei)
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The Beach at Kaiganji in Sanuki Province (Sanuki Kaiganji no hama), from the series "Collection of Views of Japan II, Kansai Edition (Nihon fukei shu II Kansai hen)"
1934
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Tea Kettle, section of a sheet from the series "Mirror of Stone Rubbings of Views of the Provinces" (Kohon meihitsu ishizuri kagami)
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Diving Woman of Shido Bay was created by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡芳年) in c. 1882.
The Diving Woman of Shido Bay depicts landscapes and seascapes.
The Diving Woman of Shido Bay measures 19.1 × 26.2 cm (Oban format).