Courtesans of Shin Kanaya, 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 titled "Courtesans of Shin Kanaya" in the late 18th century, a period when the floating world of the Yoshiwara district was frequently depicted in art. At first glance, the scene is intimate: women writing poems, reading, and adorning a Tanabata tree with colorful paper strips. These are the courtesans of Shin Kanaya, highly educated women who were performers, artists, and businesswomen navigating their social and economic realities. Consider the limited options for women at the time. For some, entering the pleasure quarters was a path toward agency, education, and even fame. Look at the beauty, elegance, and grace in Shigemasa’s composition. The artwork invites us to reflect on the complexity of these women's lives, and on the social structures that shaped their identities.