Kiyokata Kaburagi (1878–1972) was born in Tokyo and is regarded as one of the leading figures in modern Japanese ‘bijinga’ (portraits of beautiful women). He studied under Toshikata Mizuno and, in his youth, honed his skill in depicting figures whilst working on illustrations for newspapers and magazines. He eventually shifted the focus of his work to Japanese painting, depicting not only female figures but also the atmosphere of the streets and the daily lives of people in Meiji-era Tokyo, using refined lines and gentle colours. As seen in his masterpiece *Tsukiji Akashichō*, Kiyokata’s distinctive style lies not only in the splendour of his works but also in his ability to convey the very atmosphere of the era in which his subjects lived. In 1954, he was awarded the Order of Culture.

When viewing Kiyokata’s works, it is not so much the beauty of the women themselves as the quiet emotions that linger in a casual glance or a posture that remain etched in the mind. Whilst their costumes and hairstyles are depicted in minute detail, the composition as a whole features negative space, inviting the viewer’s imagination. Kiyokata’s paintings feel as though they gently capture the atmosphere of life and the changing seasons in a bygone Tokyo through his figures. Their great appeal lies in the way human memories and a sense of nostalgia breathe within their refined beauty.