The Hour of the Horse 

Kitagawa Utamaro created this woodblock print, titled “The Hour of the Horse,” during the Edo period in Japan. This was a time when urban culture flourished, and prints of beautiful women, or *bijin-ga*, became incredibly popular. Here, we see a courtesan, her elaborate kimono hinting at her status within the pleasure districts of Edo. The 'floating world' of these districts offered a space for cultural expression, but it was also a world of strict social hierarchies and expectations for women. Note how the image presents both the allure and the constructed nature of beauty, reflecting the complex position of women in Japanese society. Looking closely, the print within a print on her kimono depicts a warrior, a stark contrast to the courtesan’s delicate beauty. This contrast offers a glimpse into the layers of identity and performance within the artwork. Ultimately, Utamaro invites us to consider the multifaceted roles women played and how desire, identity, and societal expectations were interwoven during this period.