Maiko Girl

This oil painting captures a maiko seated at a bay window and talking, in backlight, against the bright surface of the Kamo River. It is oil on canvas and measures 80.4 x 65.3 cm. It is designated an Important Cultural Property. The maiko, in a dark kimono with floral patterns and a reddish obi, turns her face to the right at the window; at the right of the picture a figure in a gray kimono can be seen, and beyond the window a bluish water surface spreads.

It is said to be the first work Kuroda finished after returning from France, and the model was the maiko "Koen" of "Onotei." The kimono is rendered with colorful brushwork, giving a picture full of light. The river flowing through the shallows seems to echo the maiko's inner feelings.