A Young Woman and Man Playing Shōgi (Japanese Chess); Chūnagon Kanesuke, from a series alluding to the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals (Sanjūrokkasen) by Suzuki Harunobu 鈴木春信

A Young Woman and Man Playing Shōgi (Japanese Chess); Chūnagon Kanesuke, from a series alluding to the Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals (Sanjūrokkasen) 1767 - 1769

print

child-oriented illustration

quirky illustration

childish illustration

print

asian-art

japan

cartoon sketch

personal sketchbook

flat colour

men

character design for animation

watercolour illustration

storyboard and sketchbook work

cartoon carciture

This woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu, titled *A Young Woman and Man Playing Shōgi (Japanese Chess); Chūnagon Kanesuke,* depicts a scene from the *Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals* series. A young woman, likely a courtesan, and a man sit on a tatami mat, engaged in a game of *shōgi*. The woman’s relaxed pose and thoughtful expression suggest a leisurely moment of contemplation. The use of delicate colors and fine lines is characteristic of Harunobu’s work, which greatly influenced later *ukiyo-e* artists. *Shōgi* and *ukiyo-e*, the art of woodblock printing, were both integral to the cultural life of 18th-century Edo, the center of Japan.