Triptych: Courtesans Writing on Gaku as Offerings to the Temple Asakusa (Asakusa Kannon hōshoku-gaku no zu) 

Editor: This is Kitagawa Tsukimaro's *Triptych: Courtesans Writing on Gaku as Offerings to the Temple Asakusa*. It’s really interesting to see courtesans depicted in such a studious and devotional light. What can you tell me about the societal context of this piece? Curator: It offers a glimpse into the complex role of courtesans within Edo period society. These women, often highly educated, were not simply objects of pleasure. They were also cultural producers. Editor: Cultural producers? Curator: Yes, their acts of devotion, like writing and offering these *gaku*, shaped the public image of this profession, and the temple. Consider the politics of this imagery: how did such depictions influence public perception? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. So, the act of giving was a deliberate social statement? Curator: Precisely. It reveals the intricate web of social expectations and the courtesans’ active participation in shaping their narrative. Editor: This gives me so much to think about!