Hanaōgi of Ōgiya from the series Picture Puzzles

Description

In this tricky print, one must decode the small pictures in the rectangle at the upper left corner to learn the identity of the subject of the print: a woman whose name means "Flower Fan," her place of work called the "House of Fans," and what she is doing—emerging from a mosquito net.

Provenance

Henri Vever [1854–1942], France (?–1942); (Sotheby & Co., London, UK, March 26, 1974, part I, lot 201) (March 26, 1974); (R. E. Lewis, Inc., California, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Kelvin Smith) (1974–?); The Kelvin Smith Collection, Cleveland, OH, given by Mrs. Kelvin [Eleanor Armstrong] Smith [1899–1998] given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–1985); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1985–)

Hanaōgi of Ōgiya from the series Picture Puzzles

Kitagawa Utamaro

c. 1797

Accession Number

1985.359

Medium

Color woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 37.6 x 25.4 cm (14 13/16 x 10 in.)

Classification

Print

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith