Courtesans of Otawaraya, from the book "Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Pleasure Quarters (Seiro bijin awase sugata kagami)," vol. 2 1776

Kitao Shigemasa created this woodblock print, "Courtesans of Otawaraya," as part of a larger series called "Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Pleasure Quarters." It provides a glimpse into the lives of women working in the pleasure quarters of Japan during the Edo period. Here, we see the courtesans not merely as objects of desire but in moments of everyday life. Two women are engrossed in their books, while another pair exchanges confidences, perhaps about their clients, futures, or the complex social dynamics they navigate daily. Shigemasa develops an alternative narrative to the traditional depictions of women during this era, as it reflects the intersection of gender, class, and commerce within the floating world of the pleasure quarters. These women, despite their constrained circumstances, wielded a certain cultural power, influencing fashion, literature, and the arts. In viewing this print, consider the multiple layers of identity at play, and the delicate balance between personal agency and societal expectations in the lives of these women.