Who created "Courtesan Reading a Letter"?

Courtesan Reading a Letter was created by Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 in 18th century.

When was "Courtesan Reading a Letter" created?

This artwork was created 18th century.

What medium is "Courtesan Reading a Letter"?

Courtesan Reading a Letter is Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk.

Is "Courtesan Reading a Letter" in the public domain?

Yes, Courtesan Reading a Letter is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Courtesan Reading a Letter

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章

18th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Dimensions

38 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. (98.4 x 21 cm)

Classification

Paintings

Culture & Period

Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)

Department

Asian Art

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Charles Stewart Smith Collection, Gift of Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Charles Stewart Smith Jr., and Howard Caswell Smith, in memory of Charles Stewart Smith, 1914

Accession Number

14.76.41

Tags

WomenReading

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsukawa Shunshō captures a moment of quiet introspection in *Courtesan a Letter*. This th-century hanging scroll depicts a poised courtesan from the Yoshiwara pleasure district, immersed in a private letter. Shunshō, a leading ukiyo-e artist renowned for his bijin-ga (images of beautiful women) and actor portraits, masterfully blends realism with elegance, evoking the "floating world" of urban pleasures and fleeting emotions. Rendered in ink and color on silk, the work exemplifies traditional Japanese scroll painting techniques. The vert...

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792

Japanese, 1726–1792

Courtesan Reading a Letter

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