The Courtesan Hanaogi of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Yoshino and Tatsuta, from the series "Models for Fashion: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves (Hinagata wakana no hatsu moyo)"

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 18th-century, Torii Kiyonaga's *The Courtesan Hanaogi the Ogiya with Herendants Yoshino and Tats* (c. 1781) captures the elegance of Yoshiwara's pleasure district. color woodblock print, from series *Models for Fashion: New Designs Fresh as Young Leaves (inagata wakana noatsu moyo)*, the famed courtesan Hanaogi surrounded by her attendants, their elaborate kimonos highlighting the latest Edo-period fashions. Kiyonaga, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, mastered bijin-ga—depictions of beautiful women—blending graceful poses with intricate textile patterns to idealize feminine beauty and transient pleasures. Printed in the large oban format (37.3 × 25.3 cm), this work exemplifies the technical prowess of woodblock printing, where artisans carved multiple blocks for vibrant colors and fine details, making art accessible to a wide audience beyond the elite. The series itself served as a fashion catalog, disseminating trendy designs "as fresh as young leaves" to aspiring women across Japan, reflecting ukiyo-e's role in popular culture and commerce during the Genroku era. Today, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print offers a window into Japan's sophisticated urban life, where art, fashion, and entertainment intertwined.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815

Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...