Courtisane Handayu uit het Naka-omi huis 1768 - 1772

Curator: This elegant woodblock print by Ippitsusai Bunchō, titled "Courtisane Handayu uit het Naka-omi huis," dates from around 1768-1772. Editor: It's striking! The way the artist captures her quiet grace, that downcast gaze… almost melancholic, isn’t it? A serene kind of sadness. Curator: Indeed. In Ukiyo-e prints like this, depictions of courtesans aren’t simply portraits. They act as vessels carrying coded ideals and aspirations of their time. The kimono, for example, while beautiful, speaks of social identity, status, and artistic expression, much like clothing serves today. The symbols and motifs woven into its very fabric communicate volumes. Editor: So, the fashion becomes the message. It makes you wonder what Handayu, the person, was actually thinking or feeling. The lantern at her side – the bamboo, flower decorations - seems a little bit too ornate compared to her disposition... like this weight is pushing her down. Curator: Well, there is some intentionality in her pose; such depictions carry layers of pre-approved beauty expectations. A slightly bowed head in the floating world represented refinement and grace. Even that subdued emotional expression hints to us something of the inner state, like a whisper against the clamour of visual details surrounding the subject. It also makes one wonder how we perform prescribed identity too? Editor: I guess we all perform in some way! Still, those contrasts intrigue me. The elaborate headdress, against the barest hint of a smile… a contained, almost bottled energy. You can feel she's holding back. Curator: Exactly! Bunchō skillfully suggests layers of identity, inviting viewers to decipher meanings beneath the surface – of that time and indeed our own. Editor: It leaves you wanting to know her story, beyond what's printed on the surface, doesn't it? It makes you wonder about everything implied, everything unseen in everyday exchanges too!