A Young Man and Woman with a Shamisen; Monk Saigyō, from a series alluding to the Three Evening Poems (Sanseki waka) 1758 - 1778

This ukiyo-e woodblock print, "A Young Man and Woman with a Shamisen; Monk Saigyō, from a series alluding to the Three Evening Poems (Sanseki waka)," by Suzuki Harunobu, depicts a scene of everyday life in 18th-century Japan. The print, which is a medium-size block (chu-ban), shows a young woman holding a fan while looking at a young man seated and playing a shamisen, a three-stringed Japanese musical instrument. The print is notable for its delicate lines and use of color, characteristic of Harunobu's style.