Courtesan Walking
c. 1714
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; tan-e, vertical o-oban
Dimensions
55.2 × 28.8 cm (21 3/4 × 11 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
127635
Art Historical Context
Step into the alluring world of early 18th-century Japan with *Courtesan Walking*, a captivating hand-colored woodblock print Kaigetsudo Anchi, created around 1714. This vertical ōban, measuring 55.2 × 28.8 cm, depicts a poised courtesan gliding through the Yoshiwara pleasure district of Edo (modern Tokyo). Anchi, a master of the Kaigetsō school, specialized in *bijin-ga*—images of beautiful women—rendering his subjects with voluptuous forms, flowing robes, and an air of elegant sensuality that captivated collectors. As a *tan-e* print, it showcases early ukiyo-e techniques using tan (ochre) ...