Street Scene in Yoshiwara
Hishikawa Moronobu 菱川師宣 Japanese
Not on view
In this Yoshiwara scene by Moronobu, the originator of ukiyo-e prints, a courtesan leans on the lattice of a teahouse window and converses with a samurai who has draped a coat over his head. This attempt to cloak his identity only serves to attract the attention of the courtesan playing the samisen and the passersby. The profile view of the girl's face, which is unusual in ukiyo-e prints, emphasizes the interest with which she watches the exchange. The focus of the print is the interaction between the inside, which is framed within the barred window of the teahouse, and the outside. Those on the inside look out, and those on the outside look in.
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