Young Woman Riding a Phoenix
1765
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban yoko-e
Dimensions
20.5 × 27.7 cm (8 × 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
44206
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Young Woman Riding a Phoenix* (1765) is a captivating color woodblock print from Japan's Edo period, exemplifying the ukiyo-e tradition of "pictures of the floating world." This chuban yoko-e—a horizontal format measuring just 20.5 × 27.7 cm—captures a graceful young woman astride a majestic phoenix, blending earthly beauty with mythical elegance. Harunobu (1718–1770), a master of bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), pioneered full-color nishiki-e prints in 1765, using multiple woodblocks to layer vibrant hues like soft pinks, blues, and golds, revolutionizing Japanese prin...
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...