Standing Beauty in Blue Kimono
c. 1711–16
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
95.3 × 43.8 cm (37 1/2 × 17 1/4 in.); Overall with mount and knobs: 181 × 63.5 cm (71 1/4 × 25 in.)
Classification
hanging scroll
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
202626
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Wearing an aloof—almost haughty—expression, the courtesan in this painting holds up her robes as she walks to meet a client. Kaigetsudō Doshu was a member of the Kaigetsudō (Yearning for the Moon Studio) school, which specialized in artful portraits of women that featured bold kimono designs with thick calligraphic outlines. The exaggerated patterns on the robes and their pronounced curves make the figures appear as monumental icons of beauty. Paintings and prints of the reigning courtesans of t...