The Courtesan Karahama of Yamashiroya Performing the Tea Ceremony - Isoda Koryūsai

A refined woodblock print by Isoda Koryūsai depicting the courtesan Karahama performing a traditional tea ceremony.

This woodblock print by Isoda Koryūsai belongs to the series Models for Fashions: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves. The composition depicts the courtesan Karahama of the Yamashiroya house engaged in the ritual of the tea ceremony. Koryūsai, a former samurai who transitioned to professional printmaking, was known for his refined depictions of women in the Yoshiwara pleasure district.

The scene is structured around the central figure of Karahama, who is seated while preparing tea. Her posture is relaxed, and her gaze is directed toward the tea bowl. She is accompanied by two attendants, one of whom stands behind a folding screen decorated with a bamboo motif. The artist employs a muted palette, relying on soft ochre, muted green, and terracotta tones to define the garments and the interior space. The patterns on the kimonos are rendered with precision, reflecting the contemporary fashion trends of the Edo period.

Koryūsai was a master of the hashira-e (pillar print) format, though this work adheres to the standard vertical format common in bijin-ga, or pictures of beautiful women. The lines are delicate and controlled, characteristic of the artist's mature style. The inclusion of the tea utensils, such as the whisk and the tea jar, provides a sense of domesticity and quiet focus. The background remains largely neutral, allowing the viewer to concentrate on the figures and their interaction. This print serves as a record of the aesthetic values and social customs of the late eighteenth-century urban elite in Japan. The work demonstrates the technical skill required for multi-colour printing during this era, with each block carefully aligned to maintain the clarity of the design.