Aug 13, 2014

Courtesan Dreaming of her Childhood

Courtesan Dreaming of her Childhood

c. 1770

Suzuki Harunobu 鈴木春信

(Japanese, 1724–1770)

Color woodblock print

Sheet: 68 x 12.8 cm (26 3/4 x 5 1/16 in.)

Gift of J. H. Wade 1920.516

Location

Description

This print depicts a courtesan dreaming about the time she was taken from her family to become a courtesan. The man leading the girl by the hand is probably escorting her to the Yoshiwara, the entertainment district in Edo. This format is called a pillar print, or hashira-e (literally, "pillar picture"). It is made by pasting two sheets together vertically to form a long, narrow picture, often hung as a decoration on the narrow support posts of the interior of Japanese houses.

See also
Collection: 
Japanese Art
Department: 
Japanese Art
Type of artwork: 
Print
Credit line: 
Gift of J. H. Wade

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