- Title:
- Hanaōgi, Selection of 36 Noted Courtesans
- Artist:
- Utagawa Toyokuni Ⅲ
- Date:
- First Printed in 1861
- Size:
- W:25cm x H:36.5cm
- Notes:
- Number:
- E-111
In the scene depicted in this piece, we can see a white apricot plant with pruned branches has been placed into a large pot with a cloud design that rises up over its surface. In the shutter case in the corner of the scene, a bamboo ink painting is depicted. The high-ranking prostitute, or oiran, named Hanaōgi in this piece is depicted painting an apricot. She was the top prostitute at Ōgiya, a brothel in the Yoshiwara redlight district. We can also find the combination of apricot, pine, and bamboo plants depicted throughout this piece, which together are seen as a sign of good luck in Japan.