Japanese Woodblock Print

A woman kneels at a sliding screen and watches something leave.

This woodblock print was made in Japan in the 19th century, in ink on paper. Prints of women in quiet domestic scenes are commonly associated with the bijin-ga tradition. Here a woman in a pale blue kimono with a dark sash kneels beside a latticed screen, one hand lifted. Beyond the window, a bare tree and a few birds are sketched in soft gray. A small red seal stands near the top. The paper has the faded tone of age.

About 9 inches by 12. Small and still, and unmistakably patient.