Featured Inked Semi-Nude Japanese Girl with Lengthy Legend on Kerchief

Discussion in 'Art' started by wlwhittier, Dec 6, 2025 at 2:20 PM.

  1. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    This was acquired in the '90s in Seattle, with an auction lot of mostly Ikat textile remnants, etc. Roughly 16" square, the men's handkerchief has many holes worn an' torn in it; my overall impression is that this was convenient item, offered by the G.I. who commissioned it, to commemorate an encounter with a courtesan; Perhaps Korean Conflict era, maybe even post WWII, GHQ era.
    My quest here is for translation help with the ~20 character legend...which may offer a clue about when it was done, among other details of that encounter. As always, Thanks for lookin'!

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  2. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    Google translates it as -
    "Evening: A gentle breeze blows; people return home and take a bath."
     
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  3. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Books...so much for my intuition!
    That's almost Haiku...
     
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  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    East Asian artists tend to write poetry rather than details of their personal life. Especially during times of conflict, when they would rather focus on beauty than on world problems. A classic Asian survival mechanism, which makes for resilient people.
    Your kerchief is lovely and special, btw.
     
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  5. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

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  6. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    I was struck by that anomaly myself, Books...an additional detail are her feet; tiny, well-defined...an' pigeon-toed!
    Your graphic of hairstyles is delightful; I found Shimada particularly so, with 'well matured girls' as 19-22 years old!
     
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