“The Courtesan Hanazuma Reading a Letter,” from the series Beauties Compared to Flowers (Bijin hana awase)

Kitagawa Utamaro

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The courtesan Hanazuma, of the Hyōgoya brothel, uses both hands to hold a letter very close to her eyes. In the upper left corner is a white peony in a circle; the background is in pale powdered mica.

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