Art Title: A Gathering of Famous Geisha of Yanagibashi
Artist: Yoshu Chikanobu
Year: 1890
Happy New Year! We wish you all a safe and prosperous year.
Here above is a triptych illustrating the gathering of famous geisha for their first lesson of the year. The many symbols of good fortune hidden in this vibrant, exciting atmosphere, make this the perfect ukiyo-e for New Year.
Traditionally, pine trees, bamboo, plum blossoms, cranes and turtles are symbols of good fortune, for their meanings of longevity and prosperity. Real pine leaves, plum blossoms and bamboo are decorated on the right, in front of a sliding door painted with Mount Fuji on the right, which is also associated with good luck. The girl on the right page is wearing a kimono designed with cranes, and the sliding doors on the left are also decorated with flying cranes.
The calligraphy mounted on the ceiling reads “hoju”, which means longevity. It is signed off with Chikanobu’s name, a humorous allusion to his contribution to the geisha’s preparations for the upcoming New Year banquets
Finally, you may have noticed that we missed the turtles. Can you guess where they are? Check out our Instagram stories for the answers.