Geisha: Beyond the Painted Smile

by Peabody Essex Museum

Renowned throughout the world as purveyors of beauty, mystery, and allure, geisha have come to represent the epitome of Japanese elegance and chic. The rich 250-year history of these performance artists is vividly presented in this volume, taking the reader behind the masklike makeup and into the studios where they train and rehearse and the teahouses where they entertain.

The contributors to this book, all prominent specialists on Japanese culture, each consider a particular aspect of geisha tradition and aesthetics, from their music and dance to misperceptions of the profession by foreigners, from the portrayal of geisha as recurring characters in theater and film to profiles of talented women who choose this life and work today. Illustrated with woodblock prints and paintings as well as historical and contemporary photographs, this groundbreaking study also explores the dynamic tension between image and reality in the art of these exquisite entertainers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Japan, History

159 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2004

Reviews

[Tatiana]

I am taking back what I wrote in my Snow Country review. Geisha are not sex workers. This is a comprehensive collection of essays that goes over history and cultural significance of geisha in Japanese tradition and examines the Western misconception of geisha being submissive high-class prostitutes. Wish at least one of these essays was written by a Japanese author. There have to be better authority on geisha than Arthur Golden (whose essay is also in this book), right?

[EMA]

this was the best book i read about geishas. there were different articles from various experts on geisha culture, either modern culture or ancient history and traditions. each essay had it's own take on why geishas are viewed as they are in both japan and the west and none of the authors were so bloated with facts that they couldn't keep their essays interesting. thumbs up!