Operating on Guan Yu's Arm

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, poison is scraped from Guan Yu's arm after an arrow wound while he continues a game. Oi contrasts his composure with the attendants' reactions. Hokusai's daughter collaborated with him and made her own paintings. This is her largest surviving work.

The seated Guan Yu extends his bleeding arm. In the story, he remains focused on the game during the painful procedure.

An older physician bends over the arm. His close position conveys the intervention described in the popular novel.

Vessels and utensils stand on a high tray. Oi carefully arranges the space around the participants.

A low red stand supports the game board. The continuing game is essential to the episode's presentation of the hero's composure.

A pale wall and doorway occupy the upper left. The broad quiet surface keeps the more densely colored figures and objects legible.

Oi was Hokusai's third daughter and studied with him. Professional women painters were unusual in her setting, but collaboration with her father enabled her work. This painting demonstrates her own ability to construct a complex literary scene.