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Kitao Shigemasa

Women's Bathhouse and Laundry

Mid-18th to early 19th century
Ink and colors on paper
104.6 × 188.7 cm (41.2 × 74.3 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In Japan during the Edo period (1615–1868), bathing was considered a communal activity, and bathhouses were popular places to socialize. The women in this painting—most likely courtesans—are performing a variety of tasks in addition to bathing, such as doing laundry and combing one another’s hair. Two women near the back of the scene are reading a book; one of them holds her hand to her face as if to express her shock at the content, or perhaps to whisper in the other’s ear.

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