Courtisane met waaier en rookgerei opkijkend naar koekoek 1798 - 1802

Utagawa Toyohiro created this woodblock print of a courtesan with fan and smoking equipment looking up at a cuckoo. The print was made at a time when the pleasure quarters were not only places of entertainment, but also important social and cultural hubs. Here, the artist draws on established visual codes to create meaning. The cuckoo was often used in Japanese art as a symbol of longing. We might see it as representing the woman's feelings of isolation. The fan and smoking equipment signal her profession and her elevated status within that profession. The image makes a subtle comment on the social structures of the time. Although the woman appears relaxed and contemplative, we might wonder about her true feelings, her confinement, her limited options. To further explore this topic, we might consult historical documents and literature from the Edo period to understand the cultural significance of the pleasure quarters. In doing so, we recognize the extent to which the meaning of this art is contingent on its social and institutional context.