Courtesan Flying on a Crane ～Ukiyoe by Harunobu suzuki～
The image of a prostitute reading a text is a common subject in ukiyoe paintings.
In this painting, the prostitute is depicted riding on the back of a white crane in flight.
The title of this painting, “Riding Crane Beauty,” is interpreted as a reference to the Chinese riding crane hermit.
◆ Commentary
It depicts him as a hermit flying in the sky on a crane, a Chinese legend, reading a letter from a familiar guest.
Suzuki Harunobu often drew what he called “Mitate,” for example, parodies of Chinese legends for the masses.
The crane is a bird of good luck in Japan and is often used as a decoration for New Year’s and other festive occasions.
☆☆☆What is a “Mitate”?☆☆☆
It is one of the methods of expression of Ukiyo-e, in which the idea of painting is compared to Chinese legends and tales or Japanese classical literature, so that it can be shared by the common people of Edo.
◆About Harunobu suzuki
The number of surviving works is said to be around 1,000. Compared to the popular Ukiyo-e artists of later generations, the number of surviving works per painting is smaller, and many of his major works are located overseas.
Harunobu’s works show the influence of Kamigata style and Chinese beauty paintings, which were not available in Edo.
Harunobu’s depictions of beautiful women were influenced by the Chinese prints of the Ming Dynasty, which were generally small in stature and slender in limbs, and his use of neutral colors mixed with sesame powder made his lyricism even fantastic.
masterpiece：
Young Man Playing Flute
