The Courtesans, from the series, "Seiro Bijin Awase Carver End Shigoro" (sic) 1755 - 1775

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print of a courtesan as part of his series "Seiro Bijin Awase Carver End Shigoro" in 18th century Japan. Harunobu lived in a time when Japanese society was highly structured, with distinct roles and expectations based on gender and class. In this print, we see a woman of the Yoshiwara district, a licensed red-light district in Edo. Her elegant kimono and composed demeanor reflect the cultural emphasis on beauty and refinement, but they also speak to the complex layers of identity that these women navigated. Courtesans were often educated and skilled in the arts, making them more than just objects of desire. Their images, mass-produced through woodblock prints, circulated widely, shaping and reflecting societal attitudes toward women. Harunobu's delicate lines and soft colors invite us to consider the emotional lives of these women, caught between the constraints of their profession and their personal aspirations.