This PhD thesis studies the emergence of a new type of female image in ukiyo-e in the early to mid-nineteenth century (late Edo period), with a focus on the bijin-ga, or “pictures of beauties,”... Show moreThis PhD thesis studies the emergence of a new type of female image in ukiyo-e in the early to mid-nineteenth century (late Edo period), with a focus on the bijin-ga, or “pictures of beauties,” designed by Keisai Eisen (1791–1848). Compared to many bijin-ga produced before his time, Eisen’s bijin-ga express a more sensuous, sexually-charged ethos and a sense of self-resilience in the portrayal of female subjects. My study contextualizes the new images of women within the socio-historical milieu of this era.In the context of gender studies, my investigation also explore the social function of Eisen’s bijin-ga. Commercial media such as ukiyo-e seemingly contribute to the general discourse on female gender roles in its bijin-ga depictions of women. In other words, Eisen’s bijin-ga images of women play in the creation of a new feminine ideal in the late Edo period. I also explore in what ways was this expressed in the bijin-ga of Eisen and his circle of artists, writers, and publishers of the demimonde that formed the vortex of commoner society and culture of the late Edo. Show less
