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Course: Asian Art Museum > Unit 7
Lesson 4: Lesson 4: The Edo Period- The Floating World of Edo Japan
- Fire procession costume
- The evolution of ukiyo-e and woodblock prints
- Street scene in the pleasure quarter of Edo Japan
- Courtesans of the South Station
- Courtesan playing with a cat
- Hunting for fireflies
- An introduction to Kabuki theater
- The actor Ichikawa Danzo IV in a Shibaraku role
- Genji Ukifune
- Scenes from The Tale of Genji
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Courtesans of the South Station
Scholars Melinda Takeuchi and Timon Screech discuss a woodblock print of courtesans in an unlicensed pleasure quarter during the Edo period (1615–1868) in Japan. Created by Asian Art Museum.
Want to join the conversation?
- WHy the emphasis on the courtesan in Japanese art? Were there portraits of noblewomen or couples or other segments of the population?(3 votes)
- The possibilities are endless. It could be that Japanese artists, with all of Japan to choose from, only chose to depict courtesans. It could be that valuable art of other subjects didn't survive, or it could be that because these items were wood block prints, so many were made that we have more of these subjects.
It could, however, be a result of the selectors at the Asian Art Museum or Khan Academy preferring to share art about courtesans rather than about any of the other myriad subjects available to them.(2 votes)
- If telescopes were being imported around the Edo period as a expensive commodity, were compasses also something of expense?(1 vote)