The Courtesan Hitomoto of the Daimonjiya House 

Keisai Eisen made this woodblock print of the courtesan Hitomoto in Japan, sometime between 1818 and 1830. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the social fabric of Edo-period Japan. Eisen was particularly well-known for his portraits of beautiful women, or *bijin-ga*, and this print exemplifies that tradition. These images were not just aesthetic objects, but potent symbols reflecting the fashion, status, and cultural values of the time. Here, the courtesan is elaborately adorned, her kimono a complex layering of patterns and colors. This reflects the rigid social hierarchy, where even within the pleasure quarters, status was visually coded. What’s particularly interesting here is how artists like Eisen, and the publishing houses that supported them, served as both recorders and shapers of public taste. By consulting period documents – fashion plates, theater programs, and literary sources – we can begin to unpack the complex relationship between art, commerce, and social identity in this period. The meaning of art is always contingent on its specific social and institutional context.