Courtesan Passing through Street, Accompanied by Servant
late 18th century - ca. 1806
Step into the glamorous 'floating world' of Edo-period Japan, where fashion was the ultimate status symbol! Utamaro, the master of capturing female beauty, depicts a high-ranking courtesan strolling through the Yoshiwara pleasure district, her elaborate red kimono trailing behind her like a peacock's tail. Notice the servant trailing slightly behind—her simpler (though still gorgeous) peony-patterned robe shows she's there to carry the luggage, not steal the spotlight. Utamaro practically invented the 'celebrity portrait' with these prints, making these women the supermodels of the 18th century, though his fame eventually got him arrested for depicting the military ruler's private concubines!
- Technique
- Woodblock print
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