西川祐信画　『絵本十寸鑑』|Ehon masukagami (True Reflections on the Life and Manners of a Woman)

Art Historical Context

**Ehon Masukagami (True on the Life and Mann of a Woman)**, created by Nishikawa Sukenobu in1748, is a woodblock-printed book from Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). This compact volume, measuring just 8¾ × 6¼ inches, served as an illustrated guide to feminine beauty, etiquette, and daily life, the era's fascination with ukiyo-e—the "floating world" of pleasure, fashion, and urban culture. Sukenobu, a master of the ukiyo-e style, was renowned for his sensitive portrayals of women, capturing their grace in scenes often featuring trees, evoking serene natural settings amid bustling city life. Printed with ink on paper using precise woodblock techniques, the book exemplifies the accessibility of Edo-period art. Multiple carved wooden blocks allowed for vibrant colors and intricate details, making high-quality illustrations affordable for a wide audience. As an *ehon* (picture book), it blended text and image to educate on proper manners, hairstyles, and kimono styles, offering a window into the social norms and aesthetic ideals of 18th-century Japanese women. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department (Rogers Fund, 1918), this rarity highlights woodblock printing's role in democratizing art and preserving cultural snapshots. Visitors will appreciate its intimate scale—perfect for a lady's pocket—revealing how everyday beauty was both art and instruction in Edo Japan.

About the Artist

Nishikawa Sukenobu · 1671–1751

Japanese, 1671–1750