ABSTRACT
ALISON J. MILLER
Wintry Women: Skiing, Modern Girls, and the Body Politics of Sport as Represented in 1930s Nihonga
In the broad field of 1930s Nihonga representing conventional female beauties, a small group of paintings featured women skiing, outfitted in loose winter gear with icy facial expressions and a sense of fitness and emotional austerity. These images inform the viewer of the state’s interest in women’s bodies as well as a cultural fascination with athletics. By considering the significance of the emerging ski industry and the social impact of the unrealized 1940 Olympics, this article investigates how images of women engaged in winter sports informed and reflected the gendered body politics of the decade.
Volume 47, Number 2 (Summer 2021)
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