Suzuki Harunobu

Background

Suzuki Harunobu was born in Edo (now Tokyo) in 1725.

Education

Is said to have studied under Shigenaga Nishimura but his benie pictures in the Horeki Era (1751-1763) show some influence of Kiyomitsu Torii and Toyonobu Ishikawa.

Career

Harunobu's period of activity was comparatively short. His delineation, colors and composition showed a remarkable originality. He was an artist specializing in drawing pictures of girls, young men and children in Edo. He liked to draw pictures of such noted beauties of his time as Kasamori-Osen and Yanagiya-Ofuji. He refused to paint drama scenes or actors as a rule.

Among the artists of his school are Korrusai !soda Buncho Ippitsusai, Kokan Shiba and Yoshinobu Komai.

Achievements

• His nishikie or color prints called Azuma nishilcie, which were an improvement on picture calendars that had come into fashion in those years, began appearing at picture-book stores early in the Meiwa Era (1764-1771). Harunobu may be called the founder of nishikie.

Works

More photos

• Antique Vintage Fine Art Print Reproduction

  • Two Young Women Seated by a Kotatsu Playing Cat's Cradle

• painting

  • A courtesan after being absent from a joyful meeting, in which we see a geisha playing shamisen looming in silhouette on the shoji behind her.

  • This is based on the Chinese legend of Ju Citong (Kikujidô), a young man (shown in the guise of a girl) is forced into exile. But he has learned the secret of eternal life.

  • Sexual misconduct

    (From the book Fashionable, Lusty Mane'emon, 1770, Honolul...)

    1770

  • Kanzan and Jittoku

    (The well known Chinese Buddhist monk.)

  • Two girls

    1750

  • Couple under umbrella in snow

  • Young Man Playing Flute

  • Woman Visiting the Shrine in the Night

  • Young Woman Admiring a Snow Rabbit

  • Woman Admiring Plum Blossoms at Night

  • Girl jumps form Kiyomizu-dera

  • Moon rising at Shinagawa

  • Potted trees in snow

  • Intimate scene in an apartment in the Yoshiwara

  • Young girl in the snow

  • Returning sails of the towel rack

  • Canvas Art Framed 'Cortesan Dreaming'

• Poster Interior

  • Collections Suzuki Harunobu.

References

• Suzuki Harunobu: An Exhibition of His Colour-prints and Illustrated Books on the occasion of the bicentenary of his death in 1770 Book by Hillier, Jack Ronald.
  1970
• Suzuki Harunobu: Colour Plates Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770) was a Japanese designer of woodblock print artist in the Ukiyo-e style.
  2016
• 100 Beauties: Suzuki Harunobu Suzuki Harunobu was a celebrated 18th century Japanese ukiyo-e artist who produced thousands of exquisite woodblock prints illustrating aspects of life and society in old Edo - today's Tokyo. His subjects extended from Kabuki actors and courtesans to landscapes, explicit eroticism and street scenes.