Artwork
Courtesan Enjoying a Cool Summer Evening
Courtesan Enjoying a Cool Summer Evening is an unspecified painting by Ogawa Haritsu. It dates from 1741 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1741 by the Japanese painter Ogawa Haritsu, this small-format work portrays a solitary woman seated on a wooden platform. She holds a hand‑fan that doubles as a reflective surface, a common device for cooling in the summer heat. The painting belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is dressed in a long, multicoloured robe and styled with the period’s characteristic hairdo and bold black‑lined makeup. A basket of delicate white blossoms rests beside her, suggesting a quiet moment of personal leisure. The composition emphasizes the intimate, private sphere of a courtesan’s evening routine, inviting contemplation of refinement and seasonal comfort.
Technique & Style
Haritsu employs a restrained palette of muted earth tones for the interior, contrasted with the vivid hues of the robe. The polished wooden floor and simple, clean‑lined walls are rendered with precise brushwork, while the fan’s mirrored surface is suggested through subtle highlights. The overall effect balances realism with decorative elegance typical of mid‑Edo period genre painting.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, reflecting growing Western interest in Japanese ukiyo‑e and genre scenes. Its attribution to Ogawa Haritsu, an artist active in the mid‑Edo period, is supported by stylistic analysis and documented references to his workshop’s output.
Artist & collection
