{"product_id":"courtesan-reading-beside-a-potted-plum-tree-yashima-gakutei","title":"Courtesan Reading Beside a Potted Plum Tree - Yashima Gakutei","description":"\u003cp\u003eA refined surimono woodblock print by Yashima Gakutei, depicting a seated courtesan reading beside a potted plum tree, from a series comparing women to Daoist immortals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print is a fine example of surimono, a genre of privately commissioned prints often distributed among poetry circles in Edo-period Japan. Yashima Gakutei, a student of Hokusai, demonstrates his mastery of the medium through the delicate line work and the sophisticated use of colour. The print belongs to the series Seven Courtesans Compared to Daoist Immortals, which juxtaposes the secular beauty of the pleasure quarters with the spiritual themes of Daoist mythology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe central figure is a courtesan, depicted in a moment of quiet study. She is dressed in a kimono featuring a geometric pattern, which contrasts with the organic, flowing lines of the crane motif on her garment. Beside her sits a potted plum tree, a common symbol of resilience and early spring in Japanese art. The inclusion of calligraphy in the upper portion of the composition integrates the visual image with the literary tradition, as the text likely contains kyoka, or comic verse, which was a hallmark of the surimono format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGakutei employs a restrained palette, allowing the focus to remain on the texture of the fabrics and the subtle expression of the subject. The composition is balanced, with the verticality of the plum tree providing a counterpoint to the seated posture of the woman. As a piece of ephemera produced for a discerning audience, this print reflects the high level of technical skill present in early 19th-century Japanese printmaking. The attention to detail, from the pins in the woman's hair to the pattern on the ceramic pot, reveals the artist's ability to render complex subjects with clarity and precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/courtesan-with-attendants-boy-and-maid-in-the-rain-under-an-umbrella-ryuryukyo-shinsai\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eCourtesan with Attendants, Boy and Maid, in the Rain Under an Umbrella by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/de\/products\/the-courtesan-hanaogi-of-the-ogiya-brothel-ichirakutei-eisui\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Courtesan Hanaōgi of the Ōgiya Brothel by Ichirakutei Eisui\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Yashima Gakutei","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59115610669391,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59115619156303,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59115619189071,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59115619221839,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59115619254607,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59115619287375,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59115619320143,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59115619352911,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59115619385679,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59115619418447,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59115619451215,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59115619483983,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Courtesan-Reading-Beside-a-Potted-Plum-Tree_Poster_CompositorV1_1791937402423.jpg?v=1791946416","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/de\/products\/courtesan-reading-beside-a-potted-plum-tree-yashima-gakutei","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}