A “modern” Japanese woman is depicted seated in a rocking chair, dressed in a black jacket with a white fur collar, light grey skirt, and trendy beige Mary Jane shoes. In Japan, modern girls モダンガール (modan gāru), frequently shortened to モガ (moga) were Japanese women who followed Westernized fashions and lifestyles in the 1920s. These “moga” were Japan's equivalent of America's flappers, India's kallege ladki, Germany's neue Frauen, France's garçonnes, or China's 摩登小姐 (modeng xiaojie). The period of Japanese history was characterized by the emergence of working class young women with access to money and consumer goods. Modern girls were depicted as living in the cities, being financially and emotionally independent and choosing their own suitors. In this piece, the woman is positioned centrally within the image, seated indoors in a rocking chair. The chair, with its woven cane back and wooden frame, is a prominent feature. The background includes a light beige Japanese screen, creating a simple backdrop. Her elegant features, contemplative or relaxed pose, and modern 1920s-1930s attire make this beautiful portrait timeless while clearly from a specific time and period of Japan.

T 夫人 (Mrs. T) by 和田青華 Wada Seika (Japanese) - Painted screen with ink and color on paper / 1932 - Honolulu Museum of Art (Hawaii) #womeninart #art #japaneseart #fineart #artwork #honolulumuseumofart #homa #wadaseika #和田青華 #モダンガール #モガ #moga #screenart #womensart #moderngirl #moga #美人画 #garçonne #屏風