Courtesans and Their Attendants Parading under Lanterns

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), Katsukawa Shunchô'sCourtesans and Their Attendants Parading Lanterns* (c. 1780/1801) captures the nightlife of the Yoshiwara pleasure. This color woodblock print triptych depicts elegant courtesans—high-ranking oiran—strutting confidently with their attendants, illuminated by glowing lanterns in a nocturnal parade. Shunchô, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") from the Katsukawa school, specialized in bijin-ga, or images of beautiful women, blending sensuality with everyday urban splendor. Printed as an oban triptych—three large sheets (39.2 × 78.1 cm) joined to form a panoramic scene—this work showcases the ingenuity of Japanese woodblock printing. Artisans carved separate blocks for each color, achieving rich hues and precise details through meticulous registration. Such prints were affordable art for the masses, democratizing depictions of elite pleasures and kabuki culture. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this piece highlights ukiyo-e's cultural role in celebrating transience and beauty amid Japan's rigid social hierarchy. It invites viewers to glimpse the fleeting allure of 18th-century Tokyo's underbelly, where fantasy met reality under lantern light.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunchô · 1780–1801

Katsukawa Shunchō was a Japanese designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints active from approximately 1780 to 1795, one of the most graceful practitioners of the art of bijinga — pictures of beautiful women. He trained in the studio of Katsukawa Shunshō, the founding master of the Katsukawa School, whose pupils also included the young Hokusai. Shunshō's school was primarily known for realistic portraits...