Title : Courtesan with Attendant

Artist : Utagawa Toyokuni I

Date : c. 1800

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : This painting depicts a high-ranking Oiran courtesan. Oiran could often be seen parading around the pleasure quarters with their attendants, and this became a popular subject for ukiyo-e paintings and prints. The girl attendant (kamuro) accompanying the Oiran would have received training and guidance from her appointed courtesan. Here, the women both share the same red undergarment as well as obi fabric. Red dye was considered a sign of youth, wealth, and beauty since its introduction in the 5th century from China. The Tokugawa government sought control over fashion as a way to enforce the class structure. As a result, many sumptuary laws were issued regulating the use of this color. Perhaps as a reaction, red undergarments covered by green, gray, or brown outer kimonos became fashionable as a way to provide a demure glimpse of the prohibited color peeking from a sleeve or around the neckline. Despite the restrained use of this flamboyant color, a sense of luxury and fashion is conveyed through the strong visual impact of the wave design against a simple backdrop. The many layers of kimono as well as the tie-dye (shibori ) technique on the under kimono also denote the sophistication of the wearer.

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