Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant
Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1724–1770)
late 1760s
Medium
color woodblock print, with embossing
Dimensions
28.1 × 20.1 cm
Classification
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith
Accession Number
1985.309
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
male
About this artwork
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.