Artwork
The Courtesan Takihime and Attendants (from the series New Patterns of Young Greens)
The Courtesan Takihime and Attendants (from the series New Patterns of Young Greens) is a print by the Romanticist artist Chôbunsai Eishi. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This ukiyo-e print depicts The Courtesan Takihime accompanied by two young attendants, all dressed in ceremonial attire, set against the backdrop of New Year festivities.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures a common evening sight in Yoshiwara, highlighting the social dynamics between a courtesan and her attendants. The triple-fan crest of the Ogiya tea house on their kimono shoulders signifies their affiliation.
Technique & Style
The print showcases contrasting robe designs: Takihime’s outer robe features intricate, fragmented scenic elements (bridge, castle, sails in clouds), while the attendants’ robes display simpler, scattered floral patterns. Youthful attendants are distinguished by tassel-adorned sleeves.
History & Provenance
Part of the series 'New Patterns of Young Greens', the print is dated to New Year, as indicated by the cartouche in the upper-right corner. It shares a seasonal theme with Engetsudo’s 'Courtesan and Attendants' (1985.255).
Context
Created within the ukiyo-e tradition, this work reflects the genre’s focus on capturing scenes of everyday life, particularly in the pleasure quarters like Yoshiwara, and the attention to detail in textile patterns.
Legacy
As part of the ukiyo-e corpus, it contributes to the historical record of Japanese fashion, social hierarchy, and cultural practices during the Edo period, influencing subsequent artistic representations of similar themes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎 栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…
Three Gods of Good Fortune Visit the Yoshiwara; or “Scenes of Pleasure at the Height of Spring”
蜀山人（大田 南畝）賛 雪・月・花図 |Snow, Moon, and Cherry Blossoms (Yoshiwara in Three Seasons)
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Shellfish and Apparitions of the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarter
A Courtesan Reading a Letter
Beauty Replacing Her Hairpin
『雛形若菜初模様 玉や内 しら玉』|The Courtesan Shiratama of the Tamaya Brothel, from the series “A Pat-tern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (“Hinagata wakana hatsu moyō”)
鳥居清長画 「雛形若菜の初模様 丁子屋の若草・ あさの・みどり」|The Courtesan Wakakusa of the Chōjiya Brothel, and Attendants Asano and Midori, from the series “A Pattern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (Hinagata wakana no hatsumoyō)
Courtesans of the Ōgiya on a Spring Outing
『雛形若菜初模様 四ツ目屋内 にしき木』|The Courtesan Nishikigi of the Yotsumeya Brothel, from the series “A Pattern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (“Hinagata wakana hatsu moyō”)
『雛形若菜の初模様 つたや内 人まち』|The Courtesan Hitomachi of the Tsutaya Brothel, from the series “A Pat-tern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (“Hinagata wakana no hatsu moyō”)
『雛形若菜の初模様 扇屋内 からうた』|The Courtesan Karauta of the Ōgiya Brothel, from the series “A Pattern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (“Hinagata wakana no hatsu moyō”)
『雛形若菜の初模様 つるや内 すがたみ』|The Courtesan Sugatami of the Tsuruya Brothel, from the series “A Pat-tern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (“Hinagata wakana no hatsu moyō”)
「風俗東之錦」 武家の息女と侍女と若党 |A Lady from a Samurai Household with Three Attendants, from the series A Brocade of Eastern Manners (Fūzoku Azuma no nishiki)
Courtesans and Attendants
礒田湖竜斎画「雛形若菜初模様 四ツ目屋内 さよぎぬ」|The Courtesan Sayoginu of the Yotsumeya Brothel, from the series “A Pattern Book of the Year’s First Designs, Fresh as Spring Herbs” (Hinagata wakana hatsu moyō)
Women of the Tatsumi District (from the series Eastern Customs of the Present Day)
「風俗東之錦」 姫君と侍女四人|High-Ranking Samurai Girl with Four Attendants, from the series A Brocade of Eastern Manners (Fūzoku Azuma no nishiki)