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JessicaMDouglas — Geisha
Published: 2008-01-03 23:48:25 +0000 UTC; Views: 12734; Favourites: 341; Downloads: 0
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Edit: Kimono based on AN ACTUAL kimono worn by a woman in the 1700's, NOT a prostitute. So PLEASE stop telling me 'omg an obi isn't tied in the front unless she's a whore' because uh... THAT bit of information wasn't true back then. Thanks.Found a little piece of board and got the urge to draw something pretty on it rather then throw it away, so... here. Random geisha.
The original is 1 3/4 inches wide by 8 inches long. Done in watercolors, colored pencils and ink.
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Comments: 212
It really depends on what the Geisha is doing, and although a full Geisha tended to wear less ornament in their hair than the Maiko, but the Maiko often wore quite a bit of ornament.
The author Liza Dalby has done extensive research into the Geisha. She has a page on their hairstyles here.
An excellent treatise on the history of Geisha
DrowElfMorwen has many pictures of Geisha and Maiko in her devART gallery.
A treatise on the young Maiko Manten from the hanamachi Mukojima
And, of course, there is Wikipedia:
Geisha
According to japanese-dreams.blogspot.com :
The hairstyles of geisha have varied through history. In the past, it has been common for women to wear their hair down in some periods, but up in others. During the 17th century, women began putting all their hair up again, and it is during this time that the traditional shimada hairstyle, a type of traditional chignon worn by most established geisha, developed.
There are four major types of the shimada: the taka shimada, a high chignon usually worn by young, single women; the tsubushi shimada, a more flattened chignon generally worn by older women; the uiwata, a chignon that is usually bound up with a piece of colored cotton crepe; and a style that resembles a divided peach, which is worn only by maiko. This is sometimes called "Momoware," or "Split Peach."
These hairstyles are decorated with elaborate haircombs and hairpins (kanzashi). In the seventeenth century and after the Meiji Restoration period, hair-combs were large and conspicuous, generally more ornate for higher-class women. Following the Meiji Restoration and into the modern era, smaller and less conspicuous hair-combs became more popular.
Past Geisha:
Some traditional Japanese Art (except for the second picture)
Modern Geisha:
Geisha at the Samurai festival in Aizu-wakamatsu
Geisha March Tokyo To Mark First Anniversary of Niigata Quake
Traditional Tea Ceremony Performed In Kyoto
Maiko Geisha Visit The World Expo in Japan
Maiko Geisha Visit The World Expo in Japan
Weblog Opens Up The World Of Maiko Or Young Geisha
A maiko circa 1970
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...did you just try to school me in geisha? I have been studying maiko and geiko for YEARS and I personally know DrowElfMorwen. Geiko were the trend setters of their era and never wore any elaborate ornaments like the oiran did. They never even more large combs or hairpins because they were mature women! None of their physical appearance needed to be showy since their skills were what spoke for them.
Taka shimada is the only hairstyle that geiko use for their katsura. A "momoware" is known as a "wareshinobu." Maiko also wear different hair styles for different times of the year and to show rank. Wareshinobu is the common type worn by junior maiko and ofuku is the common type worn by senior maiko.
Liza Dalby did do great research, but that was back in the 1970s. The world of maiko and geiko are no longer closed doors like they were back then. They have also changed their ways in dealing with the outside world and are more accessible than ever to the common person. Ms. Dalby's major was also classical Japan, not geisha. It is why most of her research focuses on the history of Japanese items and not geisha. Her book "Geisha" was an ethnography that was written about her time spent in Japan studying her thesis.
~misstressofspam, I'm sorry for taking up space on this subject but it is one that is personal to me and I dislike when people put the wrong stereotypes on geisha.
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yes but when you're not going for cultural authenticity, geisha gets the point across to the common viewer who hasn't made a study of japan.
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It also promotes ignorance because you're giving people the wrong information about your subject.
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I can tell the difference between jaguar and leopard print. Do I go around shooting my mouth off when people get it wrong? Absolutely not. Why? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER. When people want the facts, they'll find a history book, or a science book, or whatever it is that has the correct information. If they want to be really thorough about it, they'll cross check other references as well.
This is Deviant Art. Not history dot com. If you want to look at artwork, great. If you want to call people ignorant because you feel they misnamed something, go elsewhere.
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Promotes ignorance? Are you serious? If people really want to learn about a subject they will and this ONE PAINTING isn't going to make a difference to them. In fact this painting could spark someones interest in geisha's or even Japanese history in general at which point they'll go discover the truth for themselves. You strike me as the type of person who flames drawings of dragons because the wing/front arm joint doesn't work. Jessica Douglas is a FANTASY artist now get off your high and mighty stool just because you have an interest in Japanese history.
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I've never even heard of Jessica Douglas before.
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*facepalm* If that's the case then stop leaving comments on her DA.
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I have to agree. And as I stated in her journal about this, most people, especially foreigners, will not know the difference between a Geisha and a Prostitute's kimonos. You cannot breed or promote ignorance if it's already there because not everyone is versed in Japanese Kimono Etiquette, Obi Usage, and Japanese history, as most people are NOT JAPANESE! It is a Common and I mean Common mistake to look at a picture of a prostitute in Japan and a Geisha and not call them the same thing if you're not well versed.
Cultural Ignorance is dominant and unknowingly so.
Not many people will know that a normal Geisha Kimono is cut to show the neck and that they are the only one's really allowed to do so, even a prostitute had to cover a good part of her neck.
Another thing most people will not know, is that in Japan, a kimono is worn left over right unless the person is dead then it is right over left.
I know this why? Because pictures like this one really do spark my interest in history, and their for, I will look it up myself.
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Actually, Some Geisha did wear their obi's tied in the front and hair ornaments in the 1700's. One site states:
"Although it would appear that geisha does not have so long history, the first emergences as "modern geisha" are dating back to 1700's, the similar type professionals have existed from the early Kamakura period.
It is important to realize here that the courtesans discussed in this chapter doesn't have so much to do with concept of geisha as we know it, despite I sometimes call them "maiko" or "geisha". Their clothes were nothing so fine (as the Tokugawa government made limits to their clothing as told below) and their skills were not nearly as sophisticated."
So it is quite plausible for this woman to in fact be a geisha from the 1700's as they were not as refined as we know them now. Especially since their clothing had to be changed during the Tokugawa reign which could very likely be when they started to turn their Obi's around. Also most Geisha up until the 1800's were in fact male, and it wasn't until the "onna geisha" or Female Geisha took over popularity, that we come across the geisha as we know them now.
I can ask my godfather, as he is Japanese, and you can post it so more people don't bother you about it if you like. (I find it tends to get people to leave you alone ~,^ And I'll be happy to help you in anyway I can, since I've a few people who do that to me too.)
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Bloo, you are now my new best friend.
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Er...I just slammed your comment down though...O.o
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No, you gave a critique that was not a completely retarded slam
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Like I said, you thought out your response before just slandering something against me. I can respect people like that.
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.....Ok.....? Though I still stand with mistressofspam. It is extremely possible that geisha in the 1700's wore their obis tied in the front. The regulations for clothing for geisha were not until the Tokugawa Era and she said her's was Eiji...err...I can't remember >.,< I just know she said it wasn't Tokugawa...Tokugawa was 1800's
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Tokugawa Period started in the 1600s. Yes, the first geisha were men and the moved to women. The women at the time wore their obi worn in the front, whether they were a housewife or an oiran. When the first female geisha appeared in the 1700s they wore their obi in the back to show that they were purely entertainers and not involved in sex.
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My godfather says 1800's...late 1700's...I think I'll take a Japanese man's words over other sites and books. Since most Japanese learn their history. Either way, Mistress has a very good chance that her picture is a Geisha. The girl could be a Maiko who do not where nor are allowed to where what a Geisha wears until they are given that title.
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The Tokugawa Period lasted from 1603 to 1868. Also, I have a minor in Japanese Studies so I know my Japanese history too 
Geiko and maiko never wore elaborate hair styles or hair ornaments like the oiran. During that time maiko would have been as young as 10 years old, becoming geiko by 16. By spending their entire lives in the hanamachi they would know exactly how a person should dress and what it all meant.
Oiran:
[link]
Geiko:
[link]
Maiko:
[link]
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Than why do I know a lot of Geisha who..wear...a lot of hair elaborate hairstyles as a Maiko?
I've family members, (not through blood), who work with Geisha and I've seen pictures of real geisha and maiko, there are tons of documentaries too. Also what they teach us in america is nothing like what a Japanese student would learn, their schools are so competitive for a reason. MSU is lucky to actually have a Japanese School Professor teaching their courses on loan from the Tokyo University. I'll take her word for it too.
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Japanese people don't learn about maiko and geiko in school XD! The only "geisha" who wear elaborate hair styles are the hangyoku of Tokyo. The hangyoku are Tokyo apprentices who wear wigs very similar in style to a geiko's.
Hangyoku:
[link]
The geiko and maiko you see wearing elaborate hair ornaments are most likely kabuki actors playing a role that isn't a maiko or a geiko, but rather an oiran, tayuu or noblewoman.
Feel free to watch the documentaries for yourself and observe how maiko and geiko dress. I've seen many in my day and the dress never changes.
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No But I stated I had Geisha in my family...somewhere along the line there were geisha in the family tree of my Godparents in Japan.
And they're not going to change, there were regulations that keep them to same. There is another person that even showed that too you. I have a fan in my room that comes from Japan with a Maiko on it. I've seen silk screens from the late 1600's of Geisha and some of them have the massive head dresses and front tied kimonos.
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The women who wore massive head dresses and front tied kimono were oiran and tayuu, not maiko.
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Funny cause my God Father said Maiko and so did the Kanji on the back of the Silk screen
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What is pictured on the silk screen?
Was the kanji "??" "??" "???" "??" "??" or "??"?
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As I don't have the language pack on my firefox, nor can i read kanji, my godfather translated, he said it was the one for Geisha, I can't see the kanji.
the Silk screen had a circa 1690, was really old, and was the picture of a woman performing a dance. Her obi was tied in the front, she had 4 kimono's on and a very elaborate sakura head dress.
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The head dress probably makes her a tayuu. They wore large, elaborate kanzashi with monthly motifs that were later adopted by the karyukai. Oiran normally just had 3 combs in the front with 6 side pins, 2 top pins and 2 tama pins.
Here's an oiran's hair:
[link]
Here's a tayuu's hair:
[link]
The tayuu had much more elaborate hair styles than the oiran and as such, wore a large variety of different kanzashi. Oiran lived in Edo and tayuu lived in Kyoto; making the tayuu very close to people in the imperial court. This often lead to extravagantly dressed women wearing as many as 6 kimono at a time. As such, oiran were more uniform and depended on the people in Edo to keep up their supply of clothing and such. Kyoto was and still is the largest area for high end textiles in the country.
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Is it possible that you could be wrong? There are so many people telling you that you have false information as well. Montana's Capital City, has a Sister City in Japan. They're small museum is where I saw the silk screen. A Lot of the artifacts in that building were older then you and me.
As we did not live in the 1600's or 1700's of Japan, we can not clearly state that what we know know was true though their full history.
The Regulations, according to a large amount of sources, weren't passed until an increase in Onna Geisha in the 1800's. And since in her journal, and in her picture shes stated it was a picture of a woman who Was NOT a tayuu, and long before the passing of the regulations, it his EXTREMELY Likely that she is write.
Things change, people change, history changes. What you know of the here and now, or of the past (Taught in American Classes mind you and not as in depth as what most people will learn, I dig a lot deeper) could be either post or pre it doesn't matter.
What matters is there are a lot of things that have changed. You're so stuck on telling people that "you are right and she is wrong" <---is what you really sound like when you read your comments, and THAT is what we trying to point out to you. It's 1) Rude to tell someone they are rude. 2) Be adamant on something that hey, not everyone could be right or wrong on this, we didn't live back then! and 3) to tell someone they are spreading ignorance when a good majority of the population of foreign audiences are saying "Ooo pretty" and not caring what the title is.
She COULD BE RIGHT and that is our main point. Yet you sit and draw out an argument. I've seen silk screens that were really old, people are posting their sources, I even posted a quote from a source backing them. Dig deeper then us if you wanna prove yourself right, however I warn you, we're not trying to tell you your information is wrong, we're trying to tell you to broaden your view that she could be right.
As traditional artist, it is extremely painful and rude, for someone to tell us our references are wrong. How do you know they are wrong? She references from a Historical site, she's told us who watch her that a lot. If she used a picture of several women with their obi's tied in the front, then I guess it is safe to assume her reference predates female clothing regulations placed on Geisha and Courtiers. And who knows maybe too many of their own people were mistaking them for tayuu and oiran as well and that's why they changed.
You can't speak on something you do not know. And don't pull the "I know because I took classes" crap. Honestly, YOU and I can never know the full history of Japan, not even in American schools. We do not learn what a Japanese or even an apprentice Geisha will know. They GUARD their history, for they know that without it, they lose their cultural identity. Japan is far older then the 250 years of the states, there are still things THEY are discovering about their history. Don't go thinking that all the information you've been told is right. History at best is extremely sketchy for bits and pieces of stories will decay, or were never recorded, or lost along a family tree.
And that my dear, is the end of that, and the last comment of on the point we, as her watchers, are trying to point out to you. What you see and what you know is never quite right, and never quite wrong...
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I'm not American nor do I fall under your school system. I have been studying and learning all things Japanese since I was a child as I myself have been surrounded by it because of my own family. University classes do not teach lies as it would lead to the prof being fired. I'm not sure how your university system works when it comes to facts but that is how it works here. Do you or Misstressofspam have access to numerous libraries of Japanese text like I do? I find it hard to believe that the Japanese cultural center, my university and my local library could all be wrong. You'd also know how many North American sources wrongly translate any bijin, tayuu or oiran from Tokugawa Period art as geisha because of the horrible inaccuracies of American GIs stationed in Japan after WWII.
I don't make my claims lightly. Don't think that you're the only one with family history that stretches back into old Japan.
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My Godfather survived Hiroshima...
And just because you make one claim, and 3 other people are pointing at you saying "you could be wrong" I feel prolonging this argument only further endangers both of us and makes us both look like arrogant trolls who enjoy having our heads stuffed up our rear puckers...
I've stated my case, I pointed out where you have flaws in your argument, I did the rest of this to try and be helpful to both you and mistress, but you were the one to bring it into personal by saying I should be your best friend.
And Mistress might have access to Japanese text, I know if I asked my godfather, I could, and that our Sister City in Japan does as well and shares them with the small museum we have. You shouldn't assume that we cannot get the information if we so wished it. This is after all called the information age.
Anyway This is getting us nothing but bad looks, and I'd rather wish it would end.
I'm agreeing to disagree with you.
Also you shouldn't say that I have not learned all things Japanese either, my father lived, studied, and immersed us in their culture and history since I was born, and so has my Godparents bless their souls. Japan is eventually were I hope to spend out most of my life.
Alas I shall leave you to your own conclusions, as none of us were really saying you were wrong or right, but that mistress could quite possibly be wrong or right.
Oyasumi Nasai Myloko-san.
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And that is why I can respect you; for thinking out your responses carefully. You didn't just say "omg ur wrong noob," you actually gave your view and backed it up with proof. That's a good sign for someone who wants to enter academia.
I never meant to make this an attack. It was meant as an informative response to the piece of art. Art is meant to be observed and questioned.
When I said that you were "my new best friend" I was referring to the last statement that you made on your first comment. Your wording reminded me a lot of how I myself act. You don't happen to be born in late July or August by any chance?
Oyasumi Nasai Bloo-chan (_ _)
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March 22 actually.
And I can respect that. But really I've come to learn that it's best to never take things for face, and to always ALWAYS look deeper. Always question if you are right or if you are wrong.
I wish I had a picture of that silk screen for you, but they wouldn't let us take pictures for fear the flash may damage the photo sensitive documents, and our digital camera does not work well with keeping the flash off...>.< Always with the "Low Light" She was really pretty, lots of Sakura petals, and a beautiful kimono. I think there were cranes on it...I was really little when I saw it so I don't quite remember. it was about 12 years ago.
They had lovely wedding kimono's on the wall though when you entered, those I know and cranes on them ^^
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The hotel that the local anime convention is held at every year has a GORGEOUS uchikake in the Japanese restaurant that you can see from the hallway. I always stop and star because it's so gorgeous 
Try looking through some websites for an image similar to the one on the screen. You'd be surprised what you can find in the internet sometimes
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I tried...but none of them really compare to it, truly one of a kind and probably too old to have scanned. I bet the others of its age are kept in a safe. They're all later in date too! -.- so hard to find!!!! GGGGRRRRR! And they never have the same exhibits! It was so delicate but I guess the man that ran the museum thought it was safe for Masao-San to hold it. For all I know though, it could have been a man XP given the date it was >.
My Godfather's mother in law makes Kimono's by hand, she gave me a mini one and it's pink and I love it! I also have a cotton Yukata(? Roman versions of Japanese words is full of fail) but I'm rather old for it now. It's got a bunch of flowers on it, roses I think, and the obi has mandala like things on it.
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Yukata is right 
[link]
or
[link]
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At little like the last, but the obi is just a clear fabric with stretch material, and the mandala is made out of the stretchy stuff and all florescent green on a pinkish red. I wonder if we have any pictures of me in it...*goes a'hunting"
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I will but I have to scan them XP hasklfahfsl; Maybe it's a flower that looks like a mandala...BLAH it's funky.
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Take yer time lol I have a lot of things that I need to upload myself
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XP My Godfather takes a lot of pictures XP
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Then go dig through them and upload the ones that you find to fit
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well feel free to not come back to my gallery, as I am NOT a library. Ta.
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Anyway As for the picture, it's beautiful, I love the colors! She is so pretty, I bet she got all the good customers! Judging by the expensive red dye, and the hair decorations, this Geisha was probably one of the more wished for. Great way in capturing her.
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seriously...this piece is amaizing
i think its the composition of it, just amaizing
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U're welcome ^^
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This one is really phantastic, and full of details. So smooth.
Featured: [link]
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