Ono no Komachi
"Jo-no-mai" and "Soshi-arai Komachi" were inspired by the Noh theater. ("Jo-no-mai" is a dance performed in the introduction to a Noh play, and "Soshi-arai Komachi" is the title of a Noh play about the Heian period poet Ono no Komachi.) Shoen took great inspiration from the female character in noh theater. It is important to note that men performed all the roles in noh theater including the female roles. Despite this Shoen used women models to recreate the poses of her work suggesting something of her views of women. Both paintings are characterized by a strong feeling of majesty, with a large central figure against an empty background. The use of color is carefully planned so that the light surfaces of clothes and other items stand out prominently against the negative space.