Appearing Warm, Behavior of an Urban Widow of the Kansei Era

On a cold winter day, a lonely widow is tucked under a heavy kimono, seeking warmth from a kotatsu, a low, wooden table covered by a blanket with a charcoal brazier underneath. Unique to Japan, this source of heating is still used today, albeit the heat source is now electric. The widow is absorbed in a novel and about to turn a page. Her cat lies next to her on top of the kotatsu, enjoying the warmth as well. The time period this portrait refers to is the Kansei era (1789–1801), when married women had their eyebrows shaved off as a sign of dedication to their husbands.