Artwork Page for Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

Details / Information for Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

遊女と寝る禿

late 1760s

Suzuki Harunobu 鈴木春信

(Japanese, 1724–1770)
Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
color woodblock print, with embossing
Measurements
Overall: 28.1 x 20.1 cm (11 1/16 x 7 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith 1985.309
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

In this print, a courtesan emerges from her bed to find her attendant asleep. As was customary, the courtesan has her obi sash tied at the front, while her servant has hers tied at the back. The strong contrast between the colorful bedclothes and the white of the courtesan’s robe is heightened by the embossing of the fabric folds, lending a three-dimensional effect to her form. The technique involves pressing a carved but unpigmented woodblock against the print surface.
A color woodblock print depicts a woman in a white robe looking down at a sleeping youth. To the left, a plum tree with black branches and white blossoms sits beside calligraphic text on a tan wall. A sliding door with a grey geometric pattern reveals vibrant red and green fabrics. The woman stands barefoot with a dark sash, while fine black lines and flat colors define the interior architecture and figures.

Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

late 1760s

Suzuki Harunobu

(Japanese, 1724–1770)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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