Three Oiran (Courtesans)

Shinohara Ushio Japanese

Not on view

Shinohara made Three Oiran following a trip to New York from Tokyo on a grant from the John D. RockefellerFoundation. It relates to Doll Festival (1966), on display nearby, in that the artist depicted oiran (high-ranking courtesans), a popular theme from ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Here Shinohara presents oiran in three deconstructed forms in striking colors, but all that remains of the figure at far left is a mirror reflection and patterns that allude to a kimono. Three Oiran is representative of Shinohara’s early work, made when he was drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese visual sources to create imagery aligned with the Pop art movement.

Three Oiran (Courtesans), Shinohara Ushio (Japanese, born Tokyo, 1932), Triptych of color screen prints on paper; artist's proof, Japan

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