The Courtesan Kaoru of Owariya matched with Okitsu 1825

Keisai Eisen created this woodblock print depicting the courtesan Kaoru of Owariya some time between 1818 and 1830. During the Edo period, courtesans weren’t only providers of pleasure, but also performers of music, dance and poetry. They were tastemakers and trendsetters. Here, Kaoru is shown indoors, elegantly reclined and smoking a pipe. Her elaborate hair ornaments mark her status, as does her expensive patterned kimono. Note the inset landscape in the upper left corner, and the writing which appears on the print. These elements are integral to the ukiyo-e tradition, which often served as a kind of popular media. Eisen's work invites us to consider the complexities of representation, where individual desires, societal roles, and the artist's interpretation all converge. The print asks us to reflect on how we perceive and assign value within historical and cultural contexts.