Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant - Suzuki Harunobu
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu, depicting a graceful courtesan and a sleeping attendant within a traditional Japanese interior.
Suzuki Harunobu is credited with the development of nishiki-e, or brocade prints, which allowed for the use of multiple colours in a single woodblock composition. This work displays the characteristic elegance and slender proportions associated with his figures. The scene depicts a courtesan moving through a domestic interior, her posture graceful as she interacts with the sliding screen, while an attendant rests on the floor nearby. The composition relies on a flattened perspective, typical of the Ukiyo-e tradition, where the architectural elements of the room frame the figures. The sliding door, decorated with a subtle geometric pattern, acts as a visual anchor between the two subjects. To the left, a plum blossom motif is rendered on the wall, providing a seasonal reference common in Japanese art of the Edo period. The colour palette is restrained, utilising soft ochre tones, muted reds, and subtle greens to create a sense of quietude. Harunobu’s work often focused on the lives of women in the Yoshiwara district, capturing moments of leisure or domestic routine. His approach to line is delicate, defining the contours of the kimono and the soft features of the faces with precision. The print demonstrates the technical mastery of the period, where the registration of multiple blocks was managed to achieve a refined finish. This piece offers a glimpse into the aesthetic values of 18th-century Japan, where the interplay of pattern, space, and human form was carefully balanced to produce a harmonious image.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. EU customers have a 14-day cooling-off right. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Courtesan and Sleeping Attendant - Suzuki Harunobu
Our Features
Designed for Lasting Impact
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Choose poster, framed print, canvas or framed canvas
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Artist Biography
Suzuki Harunobu
Harunobu moved away from the stiff portraits of kabuki actors common in his era. He preferred to depict young women in their daily lives, often using an elevated viewpoint to look into private spaces. His series Zashiki hakkei, or Eight Parlour Views, provides a clear example of his method. He took classical Chinese themes and reimagined them as domestic scenes. A temple bell might become a chiming clock. A distant storm is represented by a woman drying herself after a bath.
Modern collectors value these prints for their quiet atmosphere and precise compositions. Harunobu avoided the aggressive energy of later ukiyo-e artists. He chose instead to focus on slender figures and soft colour harmonies. His work captures specific moments of leisure, such as playing cat's cradle or walking by the shore. These scenes offer a calm window into eighteenth-century Japan. They remain popular because they balance historical detail with a clean, graphic sensibility that suits contemporary interiors.
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