Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) by Chōbunsai Eishi 鳥文斎栄之

Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons) 1804 - 1815

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chobunsaieishiniaowenzhairongzhi

themetropolitanmuseumofart

painting, paper, ink

portrait

painting

asian-art

landscape

flower

ukiyo-e

paper

ink

Dimensions: Image (a): 32 3/8 × 11 13/16 in. (82.3 × 30 cm) Overall with mounting (a): 65 1/2 × 16 3/8 in. (166.3 × 41.6 cm) Overall with knobs (a): 65 1/2 × 18 9/16 in. (166.3 × 47.2 cm) Image (b): 32 3/8 × 11 13/16 in. (82.2 × 30 cm) Overall with mounting (b): 65 1/2 × 16 7/16 in. (166.3 × 41.7 cm) Overall with knobs (b): 65 1/2 × 18 9/16 in. (166.3 × 47.2 cm) Image (c): 32 3/8 × 11 3/4 in. (82.2 × 29.9 cm) Overall with mounting (c): 65 3/8 × 16 7/16 in. (166 × 41.7 cm) Overall with knobs (c): 65 3/8 × 18 9/16 in. (166 × 47.2 cm)

Chōbunsai Eishi’s *Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)* are paintings on silk, dating from the Edo period in Japan. They reflect a time of economic growth and cultural flourishing, alongside rigid social hierarchies. The series captures the ephemeral beauty of seasonal changes in Yoshiwara, the pleasure district of Edo, now Tokyo. It offers a glimpse into the lives of courtesans, who, despite their marginalized position, were cultural icons, influencing fashion, arts, and social trends. The woman is depicted in the center panel, as both a focal point and a figure mediating between nature and society. The series invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between nature, culture, and society, and to consider the lives and experiences of those who navigated the blurred lines between pleasure, performance, and personhood. The elegance and melancholy of Eishi’s paintings are a window into the transient nature of beauty and the enduring power of human relationships.