The Series List of Musical Beauties

A six print series (see below) picturing famous court ladies of old playing classical court music (gagaku 雅楽 ) on traditional instruments. Their beauty is compared to the flower pictured in the fan-shaped cartouche and their music to the song of the pictured bird. Five instruments are being played in the six prints with the sixth print (the upper left print below) showing a court dancer. Starting with the center top print below and moving clockwise we see a ryūteki (龍笛) or "dragon" flute being played, followed by a hichiriki (篳篥) or double reed flute, a shō (笙) or mouth organ, a kaentaiko 火焔太鼓 or "flame" drum and a shōko ( 鉦鼓) or small gong.