Utamaro 歌麿: Courtesan writing letter and companion; Hour of the Dog 戌の刻
Artist: Kitagawa Utamaro 歌麿 (1752-1806)
Title: Courtesan writing letter and companion; Hour of the Dog 戌の刻
Series: Clock of the Yoshiwara 吉原時計 Date: ca late 1790s
A seated courtesan holds a brush poised above a paper scroll as she composes a letter; her younger companion has gathered up her kimono and leans forward to see what her elder “sister” is writing. The seated courtesan has a beautiful robe decorated with a bamboo pattern beneath a short coat. Her under-kimono is decorated with curling waves and sea spray. Utamaro designed several famous series of courtesans going about their days and nights in the Yoshiwara, such as the well-known “Twelve Hours of the Yoshiwara 青楼十二時”. In the Edo period, the days were divided into 12 intervals known as koku, each named after one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. This is the Hour of the Dog, or about 8 pm. This was the time when courtesans were dressed for the evening, and were waiting for their client to arrive. This time was useful for writing a letter, as we see here. (With thanks to Michiko Sato-Grube for her research.)
Utamaro designed the following scenes in this series:
子(ne) Rat : 0 hour Since Dinner was finished Kamuro and yarite are taking out the dishes whereas on the corridor they encounter the dayû, who is coming back to enter the room for spend the time with her client in bed.
丑(ushi)Ox : 2 O’clock dayû walking on the corridor to toilet. Another is calling her behind the screen.
寅(tor)Tiger: 4 “ konabetate oiran and her young client.
卯(u)Rabbit :6 « oiran covering over the shoulders of the young clie nt who is leaving.
辰(tatsu)Dragon : 8 “ Time for Yoshiwara to sleep.: one is sleeping in futon, other tries to slip in, another from the bottom.
巳(mi)Snake: 10 “ Oiran has just took a morning bath.
午 (uma) Horse: 12 “ Oiran is doing hair.
未(hitsuji)Sheep: 14 “ Free time for oiran before opening the tea houses. Oiran and Shinzô are at fortune teller.
申(saru)Monkey: 16 “Oiran dôchû, the oiran’s procession to the tea house.
酉(tori)Hen: 18 “Arrival of oiran and kamuro at the tea house.
戌(inu) Dog: 20 “Time of waiting for client to come. Time for writing a letter, for instance.
亥( I )Boar:22 “ the banquet scene. The client is behind the screen door and cannot be seen.
Dimensions: chuban (24 x 18 cm) Signature: Utamaro hitsu
Condition: Very good impression, color and condition.
SKU: UTA044