Three beauties

This trio of stylishly attired women is a collaborative effort by three artists. The two standing subjects are likely geisha or courtesans paused between clients; one listlessly checks her makeup in a mirror, while the other, wearing sleeping robes, cools off with a fan. The artists who painted these two, Kitao Shigemasa and Katsukawa Shun’ei, are both known for contemporary themes relating to the pleasure quarters of Edo (modern Tokyo). The identity of the third painter is not yet known, and his subject is more ambiguous. While her companions hold objects related to their physical needs—the mirror and fan—the more opulently dressed seated woman at the right holds a portrait of one of the poetic immortals. At the time of this painting, both elite courtesans and wealthy women studied the work of ancient poets, making it difficult to confirm her status.