Eishōsai Chōki

Woman Wiping Her Neck

1795-1796

Japan

Woodblock print; ink, color, and mica on paper

H. 14 1/4 x W. 9 3/4 in. (36.2 x 24.8 cm)

Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.222

Gazing absentmindedly into space, the unidentified young woman in this okubi-e format print languorously wipes her neck with a handkerchief. Her actions and the view of a mosquito net (presumably covering a bed) to her left illustrate the contemporary ditty written in the cartouche. It tells of a woman who, dreaming of her lover, awakens in the night to find his clothing on her bed. Whether he was actually present or only a dream, her longing for him has aroused her, and she can no longer sleep. Little is known of the artist other than that he used two different names, Choki and Shiko, and it has been suggested that there is a link between his use of a certain style and each name.