Letters by Courtesans

Brought together in this handscroll of thirty-seven brush-written letters is one of the most wonderful compilations imaginable of skillful calligraphy of the late Edo period, most dating probably from about the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century. Many of the brief missives—some including transcriptions of poems—partake of a millennium-old convention of Japanese calligraphy called chirashigaki, literally, “scattered writing,” which became especially popular among ladies of the Heian court for transcribing correspondence and love poetry. According to the conventions of chirashigaki, columns and registers of kana (phonetic writing), with a modest admixture of highly cursive kanji (Chinese characters), could be artfully and even playfully arranged across the surface of decorated writing paper.

What makes this collection all the more fascinating, thought provoking, and poignant is that each letter was brushed by a courtesan of the Kyoto pleasure quarters of the day—a reminder that these women who made their livelihood entertaining male clients with musical performances, singing, exchanging banter and sharing poems, and providing for-hire sexual services, were among the most talented calligraphers of the time. Calligraphy was a de rigueur accomplishment of high-ranked courtesans; they studied model books, they practiced regularly, and achieved recognition, especially among male literati who frequented the quarters for both cultural and amorous dalliance.

Almost all of the letters are signed with the name of a courtesan; some have seals. All are inscribed on deluxe decorated papers, most mica-printed with floral or repetitive decorative patterns. We can speculate that these letters were collected by a single patron of the pleasure quarters who clearly sought the most talented calligraphers and carefully preserved the finest, and had them mounted into the handscroll format as a means of preserving them for private delectation, or for sharing with friends. The scroll would have functioned, thus, much like the tekagami (“mirrors of handwriting”) that brought together exemplary calligraphy of the ages, but that this compilation focused exclusively on women’s calligraphy.

The Met is fortunate to have a number of calligraphy model books of the variety that women calligraphers, including courtesans of the late Edo period would have access to (e.g., figs. 13, 14). We also, have other deluxe printed books with imaginary portraits of courtesans alongside faithful reproductions of their handwriting (fig. 15).




The Met is fortunate to have a number of calligraphy model books of the variety that women calligraphers, including courtesans of the late Edo period would have access to (e.g., figs. 13, 14). We also, have other deluxe printed books with imaginary portraits of courtesans alongside faithful reproductions of their handwriting (fig. 15).