Title : Courtesan Yoyoi of Kurataya

Artist : Utagawa Toyoshige

Date : c. 1850

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : The courtesan Yoyoi of the Kurata-ya (Kurata House) is standing in full attire. On her left, a gorgeous outer kimono with a bamboo pattern hangs on a decorative lacquered kimono rack. Her hair is full of tortoiseshell hairpins. This hairstyle, reminiscent of the halo surrounding the Buddha’s head, was very popular in 19th century Edo (Tokyo). Vivid colors, bold designs, and her elaborate hairstyle convey the sense of decadence pervading the late Edo period (mid-19th century), as if to foreshadow the collapse of feudal society soon to come. The aspiration for an ideal of beauty that sought its artistic norms in concepts of balance and harmony was now a thing of the past. Styles that emphasized unbalance and intense, striking effects dominated the world of fashion and accordingly ukiyo-e after the turn of the century. (from "VOGUE in Japan: Edo Fashion through Japanese prints 07/30/08-)

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