The Celebrated and the Condemned: Hypocritical Depictions of Edo-Period Courtesans as Seen in Contemporary Ukiyo-E
Abstract
Edo-period courtesans have been portrayed as elegance and opulance given form in contemporary woodblock prints. However, does that adequately reflect the attitude towards these prostitutes? I will attempt to analyse this issue through questions of gender and power, ultimately discovering the hypocritical nature of the depcitions of courtesans from the Edo period in Japan. Edo-period courtesans have been portrayed as elegance and opulance given form in contemporary woodblock prints. However, does that adequately reflect the attitude towards these prostitutes? I will attempt to analyse this issue through questions of gender and power, ultimately discovering the hypocritical nature of the depcitions of courtesans from the Edo period in Japan.