The Courtesan Takao Leaving Against a Window
Medium
Monochrome woodblock print; ink on paper
Dimensions
11 x 12 1/4 in. (27.9 x 31.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Julia H. Manges, in memory of her husband, Dr. Morris Manges, 1960
Accession Number
JP3411
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Okumura Masobu captures a moment of elegant departure in *The Courtesan Tak Leaving Against a Window*. intimate monochrome woodblock print, in ink on paper, the renowned courtesan Takao— a celebrated beauty from the Yoshiwara pleasure district—poised dramatically against a window frame. Masanobu, an innovative ukiyo-e master in the early 18th century, was known for pushing the boundaries of printmaking, and this work exemplifies the "floating world" genre's focus on fleeting pleasures, fashion, and feminine allure. The monochrome technique...
About the Artist
Okumura Masanobu · 1686–1764
Japanese, 1686–1764