Nakamura Daizaburo was one of Kyoto's top bijinga artists and entered this work in the 1930 Japanese major exhibition of the time known as the Teiten. In this painting on silk, we see the hot new actress Irie Takako (1911-1995) relaxing in a startling red kimono on a Western style chaise lounge. Daizaburo was well known for calling upon the young and fashionable actresses of his time as his muses. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he painted a series of large works in which he pursues the tradition of painting beautiful women but often places them in sharp contrast to their Western settings. This combination of Western and Eastern influence is a hallmark of the Taisho and Showa periods in early 20th century Japan.

Woman (Fujo) by Nakamura Daizaburo. Poster: 24 x 26 in. Image size: 16 1/2 x 22 3/4 in.