The Hour of the Snake (Mi no koku)

Catalog note / 解説

This print is one of a series of twelve images devoted to the intervals of time known as koku, which make up a single day. Each koku is two hours long and is named according to the signs of the zodiac. The Hour of the Snake corresponds to 10:00 am, so this courtesan’s late morning is just beginning. A Yoshiwara courtesan is seen refreshing herself after her morning bath. The cartouche shaped like an old fashioned clock includes the following inscription: “Hours of the Snake (9-11 A.M.) The Twelve Hours of the Day in the Yoshiwara: A Series.” On the basis of the style and the signature, this print dates to the late 1790s. Despite the Kansei reforms, this print is quite luxurious; it is print…