2-726-415 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Courtesan Reading a Letter, early 1800s. Teisai Hokuba, a disciple of the famed painter and print designer Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), is best known for his private edition poetry-print designs, or surimono , and hanging scroll paintings. The screen format is unusual for him. On the right panel, he has depicted a courtesan reading a letter, a popular theme in ukiyo-e painting. On the left panel, Ota Nanpo, a writer in Hokuba's circle, brushed a poem that humorously compares the courtesan to the legendary 9th-century poet Ono no Komachi: Having been asked to stay over, I stayed on-and for a good reason: It's way past midnight [closing time in the Yoshiwara] And the lady is that (legendary implorer) Amagoi Komachi.