Bijin-ga (美人画, bijin-ga, lit. "beautiful person picture") is a generic term for pictures of beautiful women in Japanese art, especially in woodblock printing of the ukiyo-e genre, which predate photography. Ukiyo-e is a genre of woodblock prints and paintings that was produced in Japan from the 17th century to the 19th century. These woodblock prints depicted beautiful women; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes from history and folk tales; travel scenes and landscapes; flowers and animals and erotica. These prints were very popular amongst the Japanese merchants and the middle class of the time. Nearly all ukiyo-e artists produced bijin-ga, it being one of the central themes of the genre. However, a few, including Utamaro, Suzuki Harunobu, Itō Shinsui, Toyohara Chikanobu, Uemura Shōen and Torii Kiyonaga, are widely regarded as the greatest innovators and masters of the form.
Bijin-ga by Keisai Eisen (1790 – 1848)
Bijin-ga by Keisai Eisen (1790 – 1848)
Woman Visiting the Shrine in the Night by Suzuki Harunobu (1725–1770)
I'm digging a hole
In my back yard
I hit rock and sprung water
I dove in
And Ended up in Beijing
Stole me a bike
Joined up with the monks
Because silence
Is worth more these days
Oh Than AOL Time Warner
Or Martha Stewart stocks
If you can get it
Grab as much as you can
And hide it in your basement
For the next disaster
Silence for the next disaster
Oh and my guitar
Sounds so good
Because I can't tell you why
And if distance makes the heart grow fonder
Then oh look at you and I yea
Look at you and I
If you can get it
Grab as much as you can
And hide it in your basement
For the next disaster
A little perfection
During your disaster
So bring me down
To where I can't see
I'll pray for some medicine
Explain to you I'm lost
You said you're not lost you're free
You said you're free baby
You're free
You said you're free
If you can get it
Grab as much as you can
Hide it in your basement
For the next disaster
Yea during your disasters