“High-Ranked Courtesan” from the Series Five Shades of Ink in the Northern Quarter 北國五色墨・おいらんほっこくごしきずみ

Description

This print depicts an [oiran] in “The Northern Quarter,” a euphemism for the Yoshiwara brothel district. [Oiran] were the highest-class courtesans of the Yoshiwara.

This is an ukiyo-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, an 18th-century artist famed for his depictions of beautiful women. Utamaro was particularly renowned for his portraits of courtesans. The “Northern Quarter” of the title was the alternative name for the Yoshiwara, the licensed brothel district of Edo (now Tokyo). The name derives from the fact that the Yoshiwara was located to the north of Edo Castle. “Five Shades of Ink” was the name of a haiku poetry collection published in the 18th century. The term was also commonly used in the titles of series consisting of five pictures.

This work is part of a series featuring prostitutes of different classes in Yoshiwara. This one portrays an oiran, a high-ranked courtesan against a plain yellow background. She is depicted writing a letter while drying her recently-washed hair. The wet hair and plain, sober garment lend this depiction a realistic down-to-earth atmosphere.