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Only two books are known which list Katsushika Ôi as their illustrator. One is an [[1847]] edition of an earlier encyclopedia edited by Takai Ranzan and entitled ''E-iri nichiyô onna chôhô-ki'' ("Illustrated Handbook for Daily Life for Women"). The other, ''Sencha tebiki no tane'' ("A Concise Dictionary of [[Sencha]]"), published the following year.
Only two books are known which list Katsushika Ôi as their illustrator. One is an [[1847]] edition of an earlier encyclopedia edited by Takai Ranzan and entitled ''E-iri nichiyô onna chôhô-ki'' ("Illustrated Handbook for Daily Life for Women"). The other, ''Sencha tebiki no tane'' ("A Concise Dictionary of [[Sencha]]"), published the following year.
"Night Scene in the Yoshiwara" is perhaps the most famous of Ôi's paintings. The small painting, about 40cm wide, depicts the frontage of a [[Yoshiwara]] [[chaya|teahouse]], identified as the Izumi-ya. Unlike the majority of traditional Japanese paintings, "Night Scene in the Yoshiwara" extensively employs techniques of light and shadow, as light emanates from lanterns, and from within the teahouse, illuminating some elements and leaving the rest in shadow. The artist hides her signature cleverly within the image, writing the characters ''O'', ''i'', and ''ei'' on three separate lanterns.
"Night Scene in the Yoshiwara" is perhaps the most famous of Ôi's paintings. The small painting, about 40cm wide, depicts the frontage (''harimise'') of a [[Yoshiwara]] [[chaya|teahouse]], identified as the Izumi-ya. Unlike the majority of traditional Japanese paintings, "Night Scene in the Yoshiwara" extensively employs techniques of light and shadow, as light emanates from lanterns, and from within the teahouse, illuminating some elements and leaving the rest in shadow. The artist hides her signature cleverly within the image, writing the characters ''O'', ''i'', and ''ei'' on three separate lanterns.
Lighting effects are also seen in the painting "Beauty Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Night," traditionally attributed to Katsushika Ôi though it lacks seal or signature. A tall stone lantern, and smaller lantern by her feet, illuminate her face and ''furisode'' kimono, while cherry and pine trees are presented in silhouette. The stars in the night sky, innovatively, are represented not as white dots or circles, as was typical, but in reds and blues.
The [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston]] holds in its collection a painting by Ôi depicting "Three Women Playing Musical Instruments";<ref>[http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/three-women-playing-musical-instruments-26487 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Accession Number 11.7689].</ref> the three have been identified as a young [[courtesan]] (''furisode shinzô'') playing the ''[[koto]]'', a [[geisha]] playing the [[shamisen]], and a townswoman playing the ''[[kokyu|kokyû]]''.
==References==
==References==
*Kobayashi Tadashi, Julie Nelson Davis (trans.). "The Floating World in Light and Shadow: Ukiyo-e Paintings by Hokusai's Daughter Oi." in Carpenter, John et al (eds). ''Hokusai and his Age''. Hotei Publishing, 2005. pp93-103.
*Kobayashi Tadashi, Julie Nelson Davis (trans.). "The Floating World in Light and Shadow: Ukiyo-e Paintings by Hokusai's Daughter Oi." in Carpenter, John et al (eds). ''Hokusai and his Age''. Hotei Publishing, 2005. pp93-103.
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[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]
[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]
[[Category:Edo Period]]
[[Category:Edo Period]]
