Decadence: 19th-century Beauties
From the delicate figures of Eizan to the sumptuous women of Eisen and Kunisada, this exhibition explores half a century of feminine beauty. A key genre of ukiyo-e, bijin-ga, or "pictures of beautiful women" captured famous beauties dressed in the latest fashions. While Eizan carried an elegance and subtlety into the early 19th century, the genre grew bolder and brighter at the hand of artists such as Eisen and Kunisada. While 20th-century art historians used the term "decadents" to imply a decline in the woodblock prints of the late Edo period, Decadence: 19th-century Beauties reclaims the term in celebration of the rich color, elaborate textiles, and atmospheric compositions of the era.