摩登女子是廿世紀初現代性的象徵，反映了亞洲文化的進步，以及日本大東亞帝國的權力象徵。日治時期臺灣官辦展覽會畫作中裝扮時髦，燙捲短髮、腳踩高跟鞋、著西式洋裝，甚至露臂等的摩登形象，活動與生活卻侷限在花園中拍蝴蝶、摘花，或在深閨中閒適地玩樂器、沈思，似不愁吃穿、不需工作，成為外貌摩登但內在氣質溫婉的傳統女性特徵。有研究質疑這類女性形象與當時婦女解放運動中反抗父權、反抗殖民權威的「新女性」形象相比，其差異性是值得探討的複雜議題。
本文探討所謂代表「三十年代臺灣女性」的理想形象，以官辦展覽會作品中的女性形象作為分析對象，這類女性形象是當時的時尚代言，但具溫婉氣質，被視為摩登（modern）女性。本文分析臺府展作品中女性形象的髮式、衣袖、衣裙等外表妝扮，以及從事的活動與生活場景的陳設安排，指出現代、新女性，仍受到當時社會主流價值「良妻賢母」的影響，產生這類混搭現代性與傳統價值的理想女性形象。藉由《臺灣日日新報》上對於時尚的各種評論，理解日治時期現代（摩登）與傳統的衝突；次之，探討影響理想女性形象的各項因素，包括當時女子教育，以及買賣婚姻市場；經由女性形象探究臺灣社會矛盾的文化認同建構，以及背後殖民帝國意識形態的複雜影響。

During the early 20th century, the images of modern women reflected the progress of modern of Asian countries as well as symbolized the power of the Japanese empire. These images appeared in Taiwan's official art exhibitions during the Japanese colonial period. They are fashionably dressed, with short permed hair, Western-style clothes, and sometimes high heeled shoes. However, in these paintings these modern women were always restricted to domestic settings, such as private garden or family rooms, doing activities such as catching butterflies, reading books, playing musical instruments, or simply doing nothing. They were seen as modern. But when these images of women are compared to the “new woman” images of recent times, which are reflective of the anti-patriarchal, anti-colonial aspects of the women's liberation movement, there is clearly a great difference between them.
This study analyzes images of women in works shown in the official exhibitions, particularly the “Taiwanese women of the 1930s”. This type of woman was modern in outer appearance, yet charged with a traditional inner sentiments. They express an idealized traditional woman who is a “good wife and wise mother”
despite the modern appearance. The study revisits visual codes including women's apparel, hair styles and accessories, as well as postures, activities, and their spatial settings in paintings. In addition, this study focuses on the critiques of woman's fashion in the Taiwan Nishinishi shimpo to find the often conflicting issues between modern and traditional. It examines women's education and arranged marriages in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. Through this analysis of women's images, this study leads to a new way of understanding important issues surrounding the construction of Taiwanese identity and colonialism's impact on Taiwan.