扇屋内春日野わかな こてう|The Oiran Kasugano of Ōgiya on Parade

Utamaro employed the traditional ukiyo‑e method of carving separate woodblocks for each colour, then printing them in succession on paper. The delicate line work and subtle gradations of ink capture the folds of the kimono and the translucency of the parasol, while the light background with faint foliage provides a restrained setting for the figures.

The print was produced in the late eighteenth century, a period when ukiyo‑e portraits of famous courtesans were popular among urban consumers. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through a 20th‑century acquisition, where it remains catalogued as an example of Utamaro’s portraiture of celebrated women.

During the Edo era, oiran were elite entertainers whose appearances were meticulously staged. Prints like this one functioned both as promotional images and as souvenirs for admirers, reflecting contemporary tastes for fashion, beauty, and the theatricality of the pleasure quarters.