Who painted Figure of a Woman?

Figure of a Woman was painted by Hakuin Ekaku in 1704.

Where can I see Figure of a Woman?

Figure of a Woman is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Figure of a Woman?

Figure of a Woman is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Figure of a Woman

Hakuin Ekaku , 1704

Figure of a Woman is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Hakuin Ekaku. It dates from 1704 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Figure of a Woman is a Japanese painting attributed to the Zen monk‑artist Hakuin Ekaku, executed around 1704. The work is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It presents a solitary female figure in profile, rendered with a delicate balance of line and colour that typifies early eighteenth‑century Japanese portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a woman dressed in a light‑blue kimono, her black hair styled in a traditional fashion. She holds the front edge of her robe, a gesture that emphasizes the garment’s texture and pattern. The presence of floral and vegetal motifs on the kimono suggests an association with seasonal or poetic symbolism common in Japanese visual culture.

Technique & Style

Hakuin employs ink outlines combined with mineral pigments to achieve vivid reds, yellows, blues and greens across the kimono’s decorative fields. The background is rendered in a muted beige, allowing the patterned garment to dominate the visual field. Brushwork varies from fine, controlled lines for the facial features to broader, more expressive strokes that convey the movement of the fabric.

History & Provenance

Created in the early Edo period, the painting entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, though the exact path of ownership prior to that remains undocumented in public records. Its attribution to Hakuin Ekaku aligns with the artist’s known practice of integrating Zen themes with secular portraiture.