Woman Playing the Shamisen
c. 1769
Medium
Color woodblock print; hashira-e
Dimensions
62.9 × 12.1 cm (24 3/4 × 4 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
22990
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Woman Playing the Shamisen*, created around 1769, is a captivating example of ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" that flourished in Edo-period Japan (1603–1868). This color woodblock print, known as a *hashira-e* or pillar print due to its tall, narrow format (62. × 12.1 cm), was designed to hang on architectural pillars in homes or teahouses, offering an intimate vertical glimpse into everyday elegance. Harun, a pioneering master of the genre, revolutionized printmaking in 1765 by introducing full-color *nishiki-e* (brocade pictures), layering vibrant hues throu...
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu · 1725–1770
Suzuki Harunobu (c. 1725-1770) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who revolutionized woodblock printing by developing nishiki-e—full-color prints using multiple woodblocks—in 1765. Before Harunobu, Japanese prints were limited to two or three colors; his innovation unleashed the entire artist's palette, transforming ukiyo-e into the vibrant art form that would later captivate Western artists from Manet...