The Ninth Month, Chôyô 

Keisai Eisen made this woodblock print, called "The Ninth Month, Chôyô", during the first half of the 19th century in Japan. We see a courtesan, represented alongside symbols of autumn, like chrysanthemums and maple leaves. During the Edo period, woodblock prints were not just art, but a popular commercial product, reflecting and shaping the culture of the time. This print belongs to the Ukiyo-e genre, which translates as "pictures of the floating world." It often depicted the transient pleasures of urban life, including beautiful women, actors, and landscapes. The floating world was a world of licensed pleasure quarters and the rising merchant class. The institutions of art had to reflect and respond to the interests of this new public. To truly understand this print, we need to explore the social and economic conditions of Edo-period Japan, the history of the Ukiyo-e printmaking industry, and the cultural significance of courtesans within Japanese society. By consulting historical documents, literature, and other visual sources, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the complex meanings embedded within this seemingly simple image.