Courtesan with Branch of Plum Blossoms
A high-ranking courtesan is shown preparing a flower arrangement from a bough of cherry blossoms, a symbol of the arrival of New Year and spring in the lunar calendar. She gazes back to admire a hanging scroll painting of a goat in the alcove, indicating that his surimono (privately published woodblock print) was created to celebrate spring of the year of the goat—1835 in this case. The obi sash, embossed with a fan emblem of the poetry group that printed this, appears to be printed in Prussian blue, a pigment that was used extensively in woodblock prints from around 1829 onwards.
Three kyōka (31-syllable witty verse) on vernal themes accompany the image. The poem on the left, the position of honor, is by the kyōka master Yayoian Hinamaru II.
The print is signed “Aoigaoka rōjin,” or “Old Man Aoigaoka.” Though at first we thought that this might refer to Aoigaoka Keisai, a pupil of Totoya Hokkei, who also used this name, research shows that this must refer to the master not the pupil. Hokkei’s gō (style name) was Aoigaoka, and in 1836 used this signature on another print, Furthermore, his gravestone is engraved with his name as “Aoigaoka Rōjin Hokkei kun no haka” (The Tomb of Master Hokkei, Old Man Aoigaoka).
Three kyōka (31-syllable witty verse) on vernal themes accompany the image. The poem on the left, the position of honor, is by the kyōka master Yayoian Hinamaru II.
The print is signed “Aoigaoka rōjin,” or “Old Man Aoigaoka.” Though at first we thought that this might refer to Aoigaoka Keisai, a pupil of Totoya Hokkei, who also used this name, research shows that this must refer to the master not the pupil. Hokkei’s gō (style name) was Aoigaoka, and in 1836 used this signature on another print, Furthermore, his gravestone is engraved with his name as “Aoigaoka Rōjin Hokkei kun no haka” (The Tomb of Master Hokkei, Old Man Aoigaoka).
Artwork Details
- Title: Courtesan with Branch of Plum Blossoms
- Artist: Totoya Hokkei (Japanese, 1780–1850)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: 1835
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Woodblock print (shikishiban surimono); ink and color on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 7 1/4 × 6 3/4 in. (18.4 × 17.1 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Dorothy Tapper Goldman, 2013
- Object Number: 2013.1126.3
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Totoya Hokkei
19th century
Totoya Hokkei
Totoya Hokkei
Totoya Hokkei
19th century
Totoya Hokkei
ca. 1820
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.