A Courtesan and Her Attendants with a Revolving Shadow Lantern
Attributed to Okumura Masanobu Japanese
Not on view
A courtesan and her two young female attendants enjoy watching a type of revolving shadow lantern. When a candle was lit and placed inside the lantern, the rising air current caused the wheel to spin. Here, the lantern projects an image of a parading courtesan, child attendants, and servants. Though the accompanying libretto text at the top is titled “Names of Courtesans” (Keisei nayose), it is actually a playful song incorporating the names of brothel districts.
On view from March 8, 2021–May 31, 2021
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