The Courtesan Hanaōgi of the Ōgiya Brothel (Ōgiya no uchi Hanaōgi)

Ichirakutei Eisui

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The courtesan Hanaōgi fiddles with one of the hairpins holding her magnificent coiffure in place. She grasps a semitransparent circular fan that recalls her brothel’s name, Ōgiya, literally “House of Fans.” Hanaōgi was a name used by a succession of high-ranking courtesans of this house. This image is in all likelihood meant to represent Hanaōgi VI, who was known to be talented in poetry, singing, and other literary arts.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art