Feminine and Independent

COMING SOON

Feminine and Independent: The Modern Women of Pre-War Japan

Although full political rights for women would come only after World War II, Japanese women found a marked increase in social and cultural liberties during the first decades of the 20th century. This was largely the result of a rapid process of participation in the capitalist economy, providing women with financial independence. At the same time the tremendous development of mass media created an enormous demand for textual and visual material related to women and women issues. Woodblock print artists also participated in satisfying this demand and the ‘Modern Girl’ (modan gaaru, abbreviated to moga) because an important subject for them. She was feminine, erotic, independent and exciting: this is the subject for this catalogue, showing works by some of the most famous artists of the time.