The Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara Maiden

The Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara Maiden

Ryūkōsai Jokei 流光斎如圭

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This exceedingly rare early print by the pioneering Osaka print artist Ryūkōsai presents the courtesan Umematsu dressed as an Oharame, peasant women who brought bundles of charcoal and other goods from the Ohara area, north of Kyoto, into Osaka. She is garbed for a costume parade held in the summer by local courtesans and teahouse attendants.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara MaidenThe Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara MaidenThe Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara MaidenThe Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara MaidenThe Courtesan Umematsu of the Atarashiya Brothel Costumed as an Ohara Maiden

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.