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Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant
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Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant

Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1724–1770), artist · late 1760s · color woodblock print, with embossing

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

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.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineCourtesan and Sleeping Attendant (遊女と寝る禿), late 1760s. Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1724–1770). Color woodblock print, with embossing; overall: 28.1 x 20.1 cm (11 1/16 x 7 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith, 1985.309
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