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Ishikawa Toyonobu

Standing Geisha

c. 1748
Hand-colored woodblock print; urushi-e, vertical oban diptych
65.4 × 24.7 cm (25.7 × 9.7 in)

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● On view now — Gallery 107

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · verified July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

A geisha holds a practice book for a narrative musical ( joruri ) in her left hand and a plectrum ( bachi ) for playing the shamisen in her right hand. She is on her way to her music lessons. This joruri was first performed at the Nakamura theater in 1744. The crest ( mon ) on the geisha’s boldly patterned kimono depicts the character some , which was perhaps part of her name.

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