“Bishonen” is an attempt to pursue what people have been looking for in an ideal male image by following the images of young boys and young men expressed in Japanese visual culture throughout the years.

The image of a woman, often referred to as “bijin-ga” in the history of Japanese art, was prosperous in ukiyo-e and modern paintings during the Edo period, and is still very popular today. On the other hand, looking at the image of men, although there are many works that reflect the social situation, trends, and views of men at that time, they were not categorized as paintings of “beautiful men.”

Various male figures have been created and accepted, sometimes as holy beings, sometimes as longing heroes, or as objects of sexual love, however, in the field of art history, there is still not enough scope to describe, see, and speak of men as beautiful.

Now that lifestyles and tastes have diversified, what kind of encounter will you have with “bishonen?”