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Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant
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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.
| Artist / Maker | Suzuki Harunobu |
|---|---|
| Date | late 1760s |
| Culture / Origin | Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) |
| Medium | color woodblock print, with embossing |
| Dimensions | Overall: 28.1 x 20.1 cm (11 1/16 x 7 15/16 in.) |
| Department | Japanese Art |
| Type |
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1724–1770) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
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