遊女藻塩読書図|The Courtesan Moshio Reading a Book
mid-17th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
Image: 25 1/2 × 13 3/8 in. (64.8 × 34 cm) Overall with mounting: 56 7/8 × 19 13/16 in. (144.5 × 50.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2019
Accession Number
2019.420.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene elegance of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), this mid-17th-century hanging scroll captures a moment of quiet introspection: *The Courtesan Moshio Reading a Book*. Depicting the famed beauty Moshio from the Yoshiwara pleasure district, the unidentified artist portrays her absorbed in literature, her kimono flowing gracefully and hair adorned with subtle elegance. Such intimate scenes of courtesans—known as *yūjo*—highlighted their refinement and literacy, challenging stereotypes by showcasing them as cultured figures amid the era's booming urban culture in cities like Edo (modern Tok...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –