Artwork Page for Sōjō Henjō

Details / Information for Sōjō Henjō

Sōjō Henjō

僧正遍昭

c. 1766

Suzuki Harunobu 鈴木春信

(Japanese, 1724–1770)
Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
color woodblock print
Credit Line
The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Ellen and Bruce Mavec 2026.47
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
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Did You Know?

Sōjō is a rank in the Buddhist clergy of Japan and is often translated as “bishop.”

Description

Two young women are ginning cotton. One runs the machine that separates the seeds from the fibers, while the other stands by with a basket full of cotton. Above them is a poem written by a Japanese Buddhist monk. The poem turns on the image of the monk’s black hair being cut when he entered the priesthood, comparing it to the color of lily seeds. In the print, cotton seeds take their place.
A vertically oriented woodblock print depicts two figures with light skin tones near a bamboo building. A seated figure in a striped robe and white head wrap operates a wooden device over a yellow tub. Beside them, a standing figure in a striped robe and red garment carries a large white vessel. Cursive script fills a white scalloped border at the top, and a wooden trellis stands in the background against a pale beige sky.

Sōjō Henjō

c. 1766

Suzuki Harunobu

(Japanese, 1724–1770)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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