Courtisane rijdend op een shishi c. 1830s

Totoya Hokkei created this woodblock print of a courtesan riding a shishi in Japan, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It depicts a high-ranking courtesan, or Tayu, perched upon the back of a mythical Shishi lion-dog. This pairing might seem strange to us, but in the Edo period, the image of a beautiful woman with a lion was a popular artistic motif, alluding to status and power. The Shishi in Japanese art is often associated with strength and protection, commonly found guarding the entrances of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The attire of the courtesan, with its multiple layers and elaborate patterns, speaks to the culture of conspicuous consumption that defined the floating world, or pleasure districts, of Edo period Japan. By studying prints and other media, we can better understand the social dynamics of the time. We can see the ways in which artists both reflected and shaped the values of their society.