Courtesan Walking

Woodblock prints are regarded as the most characteristic expression of the Japanese artistic genius. Great quantities of this popular art form, called ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), were made during the Edo period (1603-1868) and sold inexpensively to a pleasure-seeking public captivated by Kabuki theater, sumo wrestling, and the brothel districts. Prints such as Kaigetsudo's hand-painted Courtesan display a freedom and originality that were not possible in the rendering of tradition-bound religious images. The beautiful woman clutches her billowing kimono, which has been decorated with the words of a poem whose author is depicted in the lining.