Picture Book: Field of Vines, vol. 2

The early ukiyo-e master Nishikawa Sukenobu began his career as a book illustrator, but his images of youthful women were so popular that his publishers soon commissioned him to create picture books solely devoted to his vision of feminine beauty. Rather than illustrating a story, these picture books (e-hon) usually feature a collection of independent compositions showing groups of women. This book, the first in a set of three, is typical of Sukenobu's approach. The title, Field of Vines, is a metaphor for something eternal or endless. In this case, Sukenobu undoubtedly meant the eternal quality of beauty. Here, he illustrates two fashionable women getting dressed with the help of their maid, shown kneeling before the mirror stand.