Print 1786 - 1854

This color woodblock print was created by Utagawa Kunisada, an artist active in Japan during the Edo period, a time of relative peace and flourishing arts and culture under the Tokugawa shogunate. The print depicts three women, likely courtesans, in an interior setting filled with elaborate details from their ornate hairstyles to their patterned kimonos. Kunisada was known for his portraits of women, and his work often reflects the contemporary fashion and beauty standards of the era. These women are not simply aesthetic objects, but individuals who played distinct roles in the social and cultural life of Edo period Japan. They reflect the complex intersections of gender, class, and status within the pleasure districts of the time. The artist's intimate portrayal offers us a glimpse into their world, inviting us to consider the lives and identities of these women beyond the stereotypes.