Yamaguchi Soken “Prostitute”

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IItem No.
Title	“Prostitute”
Overall size
Artwork size
Artist	Yamaguchi Soken (1759-1818)
Date Created	1759〜1818
Price	￥900,000（excluding tax）

A prostitute stands gracefully peeking out from an impulse stand. Her slit eyes are downcast, and it is apparent that she is worried about something. She may be on the verge of parting with a familiar customer.
MHer face is very graceful and elegant. A white line is drawn along the bridge of the nose in addition to the black line, and a thin layer of vermilion shading is applied to the entire face to give it a three-dimensional appearance. The eyebrows are drawn over with many brush strokes, giving them a soft and fluffy texture.

The kimono also shows the artist’s delicate work. In addition to the pattern, the wrinkles on the Uchikake are also covered with gold paint, giving it a very gorgeous finish. The obi is also very gorgeous and eye-catching. The red obi is painted with gold, green, turquoise, and brown cloud patterns, and in the center is a crane painted with gold paint.
The crane holding a pine branch in its mouth is known as “matsukui-tsuru”（pine-eating crane）. It is a Japanese adaptation of “Hana kui-dori”（flower-eating bird）popular in the Nara period (710-794). Both the pine tree and the crane symbolize longevity, making it a popular motif that is doubly auspicious.
The flowers depicted on the impulse stand are autumn flowers such as bush clovers, hibiscuses, and meadowlocks. On the right side of the impulse is the signature and seal of the artist, Yamaguchi Soken. It is a stylish touch to leave his signature on a painting within a painting.
The beauty of the woman’s appearance, as well as her graceful and glamorous appearance, is beautifully expressed in this painting.

Yamaguchi Soken (1759-1818) was a painter of the mid-Edo period. He studied under Maruyama Okyo and became famous as one of the ten philosophers of Okyo. He is also known for having worked with his master on the wall paintings of Daijyo-ji Temple.
He was especially good at portraying beautiful women and produced many paintings of them throughout his life.

As an antique, it may have some scratches or blemishes. We recommend that you visit our store to check the condition.
If you wish, we will send you detailed photos of the item, so please feel free to contact us.