Kusakabe Kimbei

A sensitive three-quarter view of a woman, dressed in a silk kimono with a hamaguri clam design. It has been attributed to Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), who was known for his fine portraits of women. This series seems to have been made for a foreign clientele and may well have been created in response to the interest in Japanese women, which was clearly expressed in the writings of both male and female visitors to Japan.