Artwork

扇屋内春日野|The Oiran Kasugano of Ogiya on Parade under Blossoming Cherry Trees

扇屋内春日野|The Oiran Kasugano of Ogiya on Parade under Blossoming Cherry Trees is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1788 by the ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro, this woodblock print portrays a procession of five courtesans from the Ogiya house, led by the celebrated Oiran Kasugano. Rendered in ink and color on paper, the composition is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The scene captures the Oiran and her attendants strolling beneath blooming cherry trees, a motif that evokes the fleeting beauty of spring. The women wear elaborate, patterned kimono in vivid pinks, greens and golds, while two carry green parasols and another leans on a tall yellow fan, emphasizing their status and the ceremonial nature of the parade.

Technique & Style

Utamara employs fine, intersecting lines—cross‑hatching—to model the folds of the garments and the surface of the fan, achieving texture without heavy pigment. The figures are outlined in crisp black, while the background is softened by faint cherry blossoms and a subtle Japanese inscription, creating a balanced contrast between detail and atmosphere.

History & Provenance

The print was produced during the peak of the Edo period’s pleasure‑quarter culture, when images of high‑ranking courtesans were popular among urban consumers. After circulating in the late eighteenth‑century market, it entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it remains on display as an example of Utamaro’s portraiture of elite women.