“The Courtesan Hanazuma Reading a Letter,” from the series Beauties Compared to Flowers (Bijin hana awase)

The courtesan Hanazuma, of the Hyōgoya brothel, uses both hands to hold a letter very close to her eyes. In the upper left corner is a white peony in a circle; the background is in pale powdered mica.
Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, 1753?–1806)
Edo period (1615–1868)