Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year 1764 - 1788

Curator: Isn’t this image stunning? The languid grace… the muted, yet opulent colours... We're looking at "Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year" by Isoda Koryūsai, created sometime between 1764 and 1788. It's a woodblock print, a Ukiyo-e piece, currently residing at the Met. Editor: The mood that floods me right away is loneliness... She seems so solitary, despite the celebratory context implied by the title. Is she wistful? Is she contemplating what's ahead in the New Year? Curator: Ukiyo-e prints, especially those portraying courtesans, were often less about individual sentiment and more about representing ideals of beauty and fashion within Edo society. This image circulated amongst a wide public audience as a style guide. Consider how printmaking enables a wider discourse about beauty, commerce and power. Editor: True, but look at the way Koryūsai's used line! The sweeping, flowing lines of her robe seem almost to cage her form. I get the sense she's poised, but weary, the heavy robe almost like a weight dragging her down, despite being presented for aspiration. Curator: A weight of expectation, perhaps? It's worth noting that Shirabyōshi dancers were female performers who often defied social norms, adopting male attire and performing for both the aristocracy and the common populace. They existed at interesting nexus points in society. Editor: The slight blurring of gender and societal role perhaps offers her some autonomy but even though she wields a painted fan and gorgeous robes, her status is still entirely shaped by others. She's still on show, being defined and redefined in infinite printed iterations for consumption. Curator: Precisely. And perhaps, ultimately, this tension is what gives this print its enduring allure. She is selling not just an aesthetic, but also negotiating her autonomy in the face of commodification. Editor: Which makes the touch of wild pine beside her really speak! It seems a nod to endurance and self-possession in her world of expectations. A tiny, stubborn breath of wildness... it haunts me! Curator: A fitting symbol. Looking at it again after our little exploration, I am struck by how this single sheet encapsulates so much social complexity with an eye for style and subtle rebellion. Editor: It feels like a little rebellion of the self. Definitely something to keep returning to!