Artwork
Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year
Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Isoda Koryūsai. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Thus the artwork conveys themes of celebration, cultural refinement, and the welcoming of the new year through the imagery of a graceful female dancer.
The painting portrays a courtesan-dancer (shirabyōshi) engaged in a New Year performance, as indicated by the work's title. The figure is shown as a woman holding a hand fan. The shirabyōshi, traditionally a female entertainer associated with refined courtly dance, together with the fan, a symbol of grace and elegance, evokes the festive, auspicious atmosphere of the holiday season.
Thus the artwork conveys themes of celebration, cultural refinement, and the welcoming of the new year through the imagery of a graceful female dancer.
Technique & Style
Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year is a painting created by Isoda Koryūsai in 1788. The work depicts a woman dancer holding a hand fan. While the specific medium and support are not detailed in the provided sources, the classification confirms it is a painted work originating from Japan.
The formal composition centers on the figure of the dancer, capturing the subject in a manner consistent with the artist's style during this period. The artwork is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The work titled Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year was painted in 1788 by the Edo-period ukiyo-e artist Isoda Koryūsai in Japan. Its subject, a hand-fan-holding dancer, reflects the shirabyōshi performance tradition associated with New Year celebrations. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
This painting, titled Courtesan-Dancer (Shirabyōshi) for the New Year, was created by the artist Isoda Koryūsai in 1788. It presents a solitary female figure, depicted as a dancer, holding a fan and positioned before a pine branch. The work is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering insight into late 18th-century Japanese artistic practices and cultural representations.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
