Women of the Pleasure Quarters: A Japanese Painted Screen

Depicting high-ranking courtesans from a brothel in Yoshiwara (the famous brothel district of Edo, now modern-day Tokyo) the screen depicts the world of pleasure and entertainment that was created for the residents, whose daily lives were regulated by a military government which promoted duty and hard work. The large-scale screen, one of very few to survive, offers an insight into the culture, etiquette, and sexual economy of the Edo Period (1600-1868). The screen is on show in room three, head down on a Friday for a late night look.