Data
Description
The courtesans Hanazuma and Tsukioka of the Hyôgoya brothel are pictured in this magnificent reproduction of a print from the "Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors" (Seirô Yûkun Awase Kagami, 青楼遊君合鏡) series published by Yamadaya Sanshirô in the late 1790s. One of the women, presumably Hanazuma, wears elaborately patterned kimono layers, while Tsukioka wears a simpler outfit and is engrossed in a book.
Kewari (毛割), a technique in which fine strands of hair are carefully drawn then carved one-by-one to create a realistic image, is a highlight of this print, as is the lightly printed eye makeup of both women. The distressed rich dark mica background and bright pigments used are also naturally eye-catching features of the print.