2-726-430 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Courtesan, early 1700s. Kaigetsudo Doshin was one of five painters in a studio operating under Kaigetsudo Ando in the Asakusa area of Edo, today's Tokyo. Doshin, like the other members of the studio, adhered closely to Ando's style, as well as his specialization, portraits of high-ranking courtesans of the Yoshiwara district like this one. The paintings feature strong ink delineation of the subject's twisting form and bold patterns in the kimono, as well as the absence of any sort of setting. Unlike his master, who focused exclusively on painting, Doshin also produced woodblock prints. Production faltered after Ando was exiled in 1714 for his involvement in a scandal.