Three Women Enjoying Literary Pursuits, Katsukawa Shunchō

Three Women Enjoying Literary Pursuits, Katsukawa Shunchō (Japanese, active ca. 1783-95), Edo Period; ca. Late 1780s, One sheet of a triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper, 37.5 x 24.4 cm

This print depicts three women enjoying their literary pursuits on a bright spring day. The fauna in the background leads the viewer's eyes down the page from the upper right-hand corner to the women in the foreground practicing their literary pursuits. Their hairstyles along with their bright floral kimonos, indicate that these women may be courtesans who are practicing their literary pursuits in order to showcase their high status, and increase their desirability. This, along with the title, indicates that the importance of this piece lies within the women’s literary practices. Literary practices were considered to be a symbol of culture, intelligence, high status, and in the courtesans’ case, desirability. It is important to note that being cultured was a symbol of ideal feminized beautification. It was only in this way, to increase their desirability, that it was socially accepted for women to be highly educated. Government interference and censorship only allowed for them to read things that were deemed appropriate for women. And in terms of their increased writing capabilities, it was only so that they could write letters to their clients; and it was at this time that society was questioning whether women should be allowed access to education at all. Most higher pursuits and hobbies were forced onto courtesans and were not things done by choice.