Three Beauties of the Present Day is a
nishiki-e colour woodblock print from
c. 1792–93 by Japanese
ukiyo-e artist
Kitagawa Utamaro. The triangular composition depicts the busts of three celebrity beauties of the time:
geisha Tomimoto Toyohina, and
teahouse waitresses Naniwa Kita and Takashima Hisa. Each figure in the work is adorned with an identifying
family crest. The portraits are idealized, and though at first glance their faces seem similar, subtle differences in their features and expressions can be detected. The luxurious print, made with multiple woodblocks, was published by
Tsutaya Jūzaburō and is believed to have been quite popular.
Painting: Kitagawa Utamaro