Visual Parody of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei by Suzuki Harunobu 鈴木春信

Visual Parody of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei 1765

print, ink, color-on-paper

imaginative character sketch

light pencil work

blue ink drawing

cartoon like

print

japan

cartoon sketch

personal sketchbook

historical fashion

ink

color-on-paper

watercolour illustration

cartoon style

cartoon carciture

This "Visual Parody of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei" woodblock print, created by Suzuki Harunobu in 1765, depicts two women in traditional Japanese dress. One woman plays a flute, while the other rests her head on her shoulder. The print's subject is a playful take on the Chinese legend of Emperor Xuanzong and his beloved concubine Yang Guifei, a tale of romance and political intrigue that resonated deeply with Japanese audiences of the Edo period. Harunobu’s refined lines and delicate use of color are characteristic of the *ukiyo-e* (“pictures of the floating world”) style that flourished in Japan during the 18th century.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Calender print of the year Meiwa 2 (1765) with the numbers for the long months on the woman's robe. A favorite device among early ukiyo-e artists was to reference a historical event or person in a contemporary setting. Here, the depiction of two young lovers playing a single flute suggests the story of Xuanzong, the sixth emperor of China's Tang dynasty. Among his many consorts was a woman known as Yang Guifei. In addition to her physical beauty, Yang Guifei was a gifted singer, dancer, and musician. In a moment of jealousy, the emperor is said to have banished Yang Guifei when he discovered her playing another man's flute. Unable to endure her absence, however, the emperor eventually recalled her to court. The playful affection between the two lovers is suggested in this print, as well as the harmony implicit in their reconciliation.This print also contains a secret calendar. The manner in which the leaves of bamboo cross on the woman's kimono designate the long and short months of the lunar calendar.