Chōbunsai Eishi

At first glance, these prints of Edo-period courtesans relaxing on a pleasure boat and indulging in music, food, and drink are not unusual, as they depict a popular contemporary pastime. Missing, however, is the left-most image depicting the historical figure Shizuka Gozen (1165-1211), a dancer typically identifiable by her trailing sleeves. Gozen heightened an existing conflict between the samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune (1159-1189) and his brother, the shogun Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199). The dancing figure and Minamoto crest on the curtains of the boat evoke this historical reference.