Courtesan Riding an Ox c. 1766

Suzuki Harunobu created this ukiyo-e woodblock print of a courtesan riding an ox in Japan sometime before 1770. These prints, meaning ‘pictures of the floating world,’ were a product of their time: Japan was undergoing rapid urbanization, and a rising merchant class was eager to purchase imagery of their culture. Woodblock prints brought the pleasure quarters of Edo, now Tokyo, to a wider audience. Although publishers were subject to censorship, they could also use their art to comment on society, even using wit and parody to get their point across. In this print, the woman's elegant dress identifies her as a courtesan, yet she is riding on an ox, a beast of burden. Is the artist commenting on the status of women, or poking fun at the elite? Historians use a variety of sources to understand the context of artworks like this, including diaries, letters, literature, and other visual material. By studying these resources, we can better understand the complex social and cultural forces that shaped the art of the past.