Courtesan and Two Kamuro

Held in the Frederick W. Gookin Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago (accession 1939.944), Courtesan and Two Kamuro is a [chuban](/glossary/chuban) color woodblock print measuring 25.8 by 20.1 centimeters and dated to 1766. The sheet has been trimmed to an unusual oval shape, a decorative aftertreatment that emphasizes the intimate, miniature-like character of the composition and that recalls the lacquered or enameled medallions of contemporary luxury craft. The subject is a Yoshiwara courtesan of the high-ranking oiran or kamuro-attended grade, accompanied by her two child apprentices (the kamuro who served the great courtesans of the licensed pleasure quarter as both servants and trainees). The grouping is a quintessential [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) (beautiful-women picture) subject and a staple of the [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) repertoire.