Template:POTD/2016-06-01
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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