Clock and Beauty II (Yakai Maki)
Ito Shinsui Catalogue

Clock and Beauty II (Yakai Maki) - Ito Shinsui Catalogue woodblock print
Artist
Ito Shinsui 伊東深水
English title
Clock and Beauty II (Yakai Maki)
Japanese title
夜會巻
Series
Hotta Clock commission 堀田時計店版
Date
Medium
Colour woodblock print on paper
Paper size (h × w)
Oban 大判
Image size (h × w)
33.0 × 24.0 cm
First edition seal
No publisher seal
Subsequent seals
Edition size
Open
Posthumously printed
No
Publisher
Watanabe Shozaburo 渡邊庄三郎
Carver
Printer
Subjects
Bijin-ga 美人画
Remarks
In 1964 (Showa 39), to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the founding of Hotta Watch Shop and the relocation of the Osaka store to a new building in Minamisenba, we commissioned artist Ito Shinsui to create a print called "Yakai Maki," the second work in the Clock and Beauty series. "Yakai Maki" is a hairstyle that was popular among women during the Meiji period when glamorous evening parties were held at Rokumeikan. The hair is pulled back from the center, tied at the back of the head, and rolled toward the top of the head and held in place with a pin. In addition to its elegant image, it was popular among upper-class women because it went well with both Japanese and Western clothing. This work by Ito depicts a dignified woman wearing a yakai maki, a small-patterned kimono, a black crest, and a half-collar with a snowflake design. It is interesting to note that the pattern of this kimono is the same as that of the Edo beauty in the first work, "Beauty and a Tower Clock," and that the family crest is the "mokkomon" of the Hotta family. In the background of this portrait is a banjo clock, which was produced in the United States and became popular in Japan during the Meiji period. The banjo clock was invented in 1802 by Simon Willard of Massachusetts, USA, and was so named because its round dial and long body housing the pendulum resemble an upside-down banjo, a stringed instrument. In the "Yakai Maki" banjo clock, part of the round pendulum can be seen peeking out from the glass in the bulging area at the bottom.
Catalogue number
IS145
Supplementary images