Saturday, December 10, 2011

The Salt Maiden - Suzuki Harunobu 1770


Against a steely grey ground a study of Matsukaze, on of the "brine maidens", carrying her pails. Her name is inscribed on the title label of an inset picture of a book.
Suzuki Harunobu (1725? – July 7, 1770) was a Japanese woodblock print artist, one of the most famous in the Ukiyo-e style. He was an innovator, the first to produce full-color prints (nishiki-e) in 1765, rendering obsolete the former modes of two- and three-color prints. Harunobu used many special techniques, and depicted a wide variety of subjects, from classical poems to contemporary beauties. Like many artists of his day, Harunobu also produced a number of shunga, or erotic images. During his lifetime and shortly afterwards, many artists imitated his style. A few, such as Harushige, even boasted of their ability to forge the work of the great master. Much about Harunobu's life is unknown.

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