Art History Lecture with Dr. Susan Lee
The Floating Beauty Revisited: Ukiyo-e in Modern Japan

This talk explores the role ukiyo-e, with its focus on the beautiful woman, played in the shaping of a narrative of “Japanese art” that emerged in the early 20th century. It illustrates this compelling historical moment with discussion of works by artists like Tsuchida Bakusen (1887 – 1936) and Paul Gauguin (1848 – 1903).

Dr. Susan Lee, art historian and Program Director of the Heritage and Museum Studies Program at Concordia College, presents an engaging lecture on women in ukiyo-e.

The exhibition Floating Beauty explores historical perspectives on women and their depiction in Edo-period Japan (1615–1858). Comprised entirely of woodblock prints in the ukiyo-e style, the exhibition highlights women in literature, kabuki theatre, and poetry; the courtesans and geisha of the Yoshiwara pleasure district; and wives and mothers from across the social spectrum performing the duties of their station—offering insight into the realities of women’s lives in pre-modern Japan.

Within ukiyo-e, women are most commonly represented through the bijinga genre, or “pictures of beautiful women.” These idealized portrayals feature courtesans with elaborate hairstyles, striking makeup, and richly decorated clothing. But looking beyond surface beauty, Floating Beauty also emphasizes the industrious and complex roles women held in Edo society. Idleness was scorned, even among the elite; strength, intelligence, and diligence were essential to running households and managing business affairs.

The exhibition features over fifty woodblock prints, including works by masters such as Suzuki Harunobu, Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kunisada, Kikugawa Eizan, and Utagawa Hiroshige. Floating Beauty is drawn entirely from the permanent collection of the Reading Public Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania, which organized the exhibition.

Art History Lecture: Dr. Susan Lee on Ukiyo-e

This talk explores the role ukiyo-e, with its focus on the beautiful woman, played in the shaping of a narrative of “Japanese art” that emerged in the early 20th century.