「嶋ノ内ねり物　鵜飼　まつ屋　ゑむ」 (Shimanouchi nerimono)|The Courtesan Emu of the Matsuya Brothel as a Cormorant Fisherwoman (Ukai Matsuya Emu), from the series “A Costume Parade in the Shimanouchi District” (Shimanouchi nerimono)

Shunbaisai Hokuei 春梅斎北英

1836 · Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper; vertical ōban · Asian Art

「嶋ノ内ねり物　鵜飼　まつ屋　ゑむ」 (Shimanouchi nerimono)|The Courtesan Emu of the Matsuya Brothel as a Cormorant Fisherwoman (Ukai Matsuya Emu), from the series “A Costume Parade in the Shimanouchi District” (Shimanouchi nerimono) — Shunbaisai Hokuei 春梅斎北英

Emu, a courtesan of the Matsuya brothel, is shown cross-dressed as a cormorant fisherman for a costume parade held in the Shimanouchi district of Osaka. Standing above a pair of cormorants, she holds the type of a torch that would have been used at night to attract fish, which would then be temporarily caught by the birds. The long necks of the cormorants were tied so that could not fully swallow the fish they caught, allowing the fishermen to retrieve the catch. The headgear, costume, and straw apron (koshi mino) are based on a theatrical adaptation of an actual fisherman’s outfit, as used for the Noh play Cormorant Fisherman (Ukai), which is still performed to this day.

Artist: Shunbaisai Hokuei 春梅斎北英
Date: 1836
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper; vertical ōban
Culture: Japan
Department: Asian Art
Credit line: Gift of JoAnn Edinburg Pinkowitz and Richard Pinkowitz, 2020

「嶋ノ内ねり物 鵜飼 まつ屋 ゑむ」 (Shimanouchi nerimono)|The Courtesan Emu of the Matsuya Brothel as a Cormorant Fisherwoman (Ukai Matsuya Emu), from the series “A Costume Parade in the Shimanouchi District” (Shimanouchi nerimono)

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「嶋ノ内ねり物　鵜飼　まつ屋　ゑむ」 (Shimanouchi nerimono)|The Courtesan Emu of the Matsuya Brothel as a Cormorant Fisherwoman (Ukai Matsuya Emu), from the series “A Costume Parade in the Shimanouchi District” (Shimanouchi nerimono)