Three Young Ladies Visiting Together 1771 - 1844

Teisai Hokuba created this woodblock print called "Three Young Ladies Visiting Together," which captures a moment of social interaction and feminine identity in Japan. During the Edo period, when Hokuba was active, there were rigid social structures and cultural norms that significantly shaped people's lives. These prints often depicted women in idealized, domestic settings, reflecting both the artistic conventions and the societal expectations of the time. Here, the three women are dressed in kimonos that signal status and occasion. The woman on the right is seated on an elaborate cushion and holds a smoking pipe, which implies that she is of a higher status, while the other two women attend to her, with one woman holding a lantern. While seemingly a gentle snapshot of social life, this print subtly touches upon the complex intersection of gender, class, and social roles during the Edo period. Hokuba invites us to consider how women navigated their identities within the constraints and expectations of their society. This print is a testament to the beauty and complexity of human interactions viewed through the lens of history.