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DiaporamaCourtesan and her Attendants under a Willow Tree
- 1796
- 93.0 x 34.0 cm
utagawa unchō (1770 – 1819)
Discover Utagawa Unchō's vibrant ukiyo-e prints! Capturing Kabuki actors & scenes, he’s a key figure in the Edo period art movement – explore his legacy.
A high-ranking courtesan (oiran), accompanied by her teenage apprentice (shinzō) and two child attendants (kamuro), promenade beneath a weeping willow in the spring. While the identity of the artist who signs himself “Unchō” has yet to be determined, we may assume that he received his art name from the ukiyo-e artist Katsukawa Shunchō. The two inscribers of the poetry above, Kyōden and Bakin, are among the greatest popular writers of the day. They have both added Chinese and Japanese poetic phrases referring to the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters. Kyōden uses metaphors of willow trees and flowers; Bakin quotes a Chinese poem and then likens a courtesan to a thousand-armed Kannon bodhisattava in the service of men.
About this artwork
- Title: Courtesan and her Attendants under a Willow Tree
- Artist: utagawa unchō
- Year: 1796
- Original dimensions: 93.0 x 34.0 cm
- Format: Portrait
- Copyright status: Public domain
- Color palette: Earthy
- Perceived brightness: shadow
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