Four Oiran of the House Called Kadokana-ya Playing the Game of Ko-awase (Incense Game)

Description

An incense-comparing game brings four courtesans from the Kadokanaya together around bowls, trays and other implements. Rich patterned robes and the furnished room give their shared activity a particular setting. Katsukawa Shunshō brings the group together through participation in a refined pastime, allowing the encounter to be appreciated beyond the separate appearance of each figure.

The 1776 color woodblock print uses ink and color on paper. Its subject offers a group scene within Edo-period visual culture, where a social activity gives several figures a common purpose. The image’s appeal lies in that collective presence, making the courtesans participants in an encounter rather than treating them simply as separate examples of elaborate appearance.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.