Courtesan and Her Sleepy Attendant c. 1767 - 1768

Suzuki Harunobu created this polychrome woodblock print, depicting a courtesan and her sleepy attendant, sometime before 1770. Harunobu was a leading artist of the Edo period in Japan, a time when woodblock prints gained popularity among the merchant class. Prints like this one reflect the culture of the pleasure districts and teahouses, but it goes further than mere illustration. The courtesan's act of writing hints at the artistic accomplishments expected of women in that profession, and the intimate domestic scene challenges the social hierarchy. In Japan, the floating world of the courtesans was an important cultural institution. The image might seem to simply represent the leisure activities of the upper class, but, by depicting the private life of a courtesan, the artist subtly comments on social status and gender roles. To understand this print better, explore the social history of the Edo period, the role of women in Japanese society, and the development of woodblock printing as a medium. We can use those sources to reflect on the ways art reflects and shapes its own cultural context.