Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Bequest of Richard P. Galeexpand_more 74.1.147
Hanaōgi (literally, “flower fan”) may well be the most frequently depicted woman in ukiyo-e. In fact, Hanaōgi was a pseudonym used by several generations of prostitutes from the Ōgiya house, one of the most exclusive brothels in the Yoshiwara. This print represents Hanaōgi IV, the highest-ranked prostitute in the Ōgiya from 1791 through 1797. The oblong cartouche contains a poem comparing the pale beauty of Hanaōgi by moonlight to a delicate moonflower.
Blossoming moonflowers arranged on a flower-fan and Hanaōgi’s face after moonrise
are so adorable that people never tire of seeing them and forget that autumn is coming.
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