Prostitute c. 1695

"Prostitute," a hanging scroll painting created by an artist of the Hishikawa School around 1695, depicts three figures in traditional Japanese clothing. The composition features a woman in a black and white kimono, a man in a yellow robe, and a second woman in a brown kimono. The figures are painted in a delicate, precise style characteristic of the Hishikawa School, highlighting their elegant features and intricate garments. The work is now housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This painting is an example of ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese art that flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries and often depicted scenes of everyday life, popular entertainment, and beautiful women.