Artwork Page for Courtesans of the Ōgiya on a Spring Outing

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Courtesans of the Ōgiya on a Spring Outing

mid- or late 1790s

Utagawa Toyokuni 歌川 豊国

(Japanese, 1769–1825)
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Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
Triptych of woodblock prints, ink and color on paper
Measurements
Sheet: 36.6 x 23.7 cm (14 7/16 x 9 5/16 in.); Overall: 36.9 x 23.8 cm (14 1/2 x 9 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Gift from J. H. Wade 1921.360
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

In these prints, two courtesans of the Ōgiya brothel are entering an open pavilion, while another group gathers around a Japanese hibachi inside. Hanaōgi, the most celebrated courtesan of Ōgiya in the late 1700s, is depicted at a desk. Holding a brush in her hand, she turns her head to one side as if gathering her thoughts before writing in the book before her. Both her position and her loosened hair separate Hanaōgi from her courtesan companions who wear elaborate coiffures. This depiction of her captures both her knowledge of poetry and her skill as a calligrapher.
A horizontally oriented woodblock print triptych in coral pink, black, and cream tones depicts seven women in patterned garments. On the left, two women stand near blossoming branches. In the center, three women gather near a bamboo fence. On the right, one woman sits at a low desk with an open book while another rests beside a white brazier. Intricate lines define their clothing and the traditional architectural interior.

Courtesans of the Ōgiya on a Spring Outing

mid- or late 1790s

Utagawa Toyokuni

(Japanese, 1769–1825)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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