Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

1764

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant is a 1764 by Suzuki Harunobu, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Suzuki Harunobu
When & what style?: 1764 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a courtesan and her sleeping attendant in this painting. The courtesan is getting out of bed, and her attendant is asleep. Her attendant's obi sash is tied at the back, which shows her lower status. The Cleveland Museum of Art has this painting. You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist Suzuki Harunobu.

The story of this work

Overview

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.

Read the full account in the museum source.