Young Lady in Waiting
18th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
28 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. (72.4 x 31.8 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
14.76.39
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant *Young Lady in Waiting*, captivating hanging scroll by Katsukawa Shunshō1726–1792), a master of Japan's ukiyo-e tradition during the vibrant Edo period (1615–8). Created in the 18th century, ink and color on silk painting measures 28½ x 12½ inches and depicts a poised young woman, likely a court attendant, rendered with delicate grace. Shunshō, founder of the influential Katsukawa school, was renowned for his yakusha-e (actor portraits in woodblock prints, but his paintings like this one showcase his skill in bijin-ga—the "pictures of beautiful women" that celebrated feminin...
About the Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章 (Japanese) · 1726 –1792
Japanese, 1726–1792