Meiji Dance Recital

About this artwork

In this print, a musical dance performance takes place on temple grounds under flowering cherry trees. At center stage, a dancer goes through her steps to the accompaniment of three musicians, playing flute, drum, and shamisen. At this spring performance, new members of the dancing and musical schools are presented to the public (just as they are in Japan to this day). Inscriptions on the print provide the names of the two young women who are being presented, Ishida Sen and Ishida Tami, perhaps ...

Art Historical Context

Created during Japan’s transformative Meiji era, *Meiji Dance Recital* captures a moment when traditional performing arts met the rapid modernization sweeping the country after 1868. Artist Sessei produced this striking color woodblock print, known as a *surimono*, around the 1880s. These privately commissioned prints were prized for their exceptional craftsmanship and often marked special occasions such as poetry gatherings or seasonal celebrations. Measuring over 21 inches tall, the work’s generous size and refined printing techniques—including delicate color gradations and possible embossing—highlight the luxurious nature of *surimono*. The subject, a dance recital, reflects the era’s lively cultural scene, where classical Japanese dance continued to thrive even as Western influences entered theaters and schools. Today at the Art Institute of Chicago, the print offers viewers a vivid glimpse into Meiji-period elegance and the enduring artistry of Japanese woodblock traditions.