Katsukawa Shuncho - A Courtesan and her Attendants

A Courtesan and her Attendants

An original woodcut by Katsukawa Shuncho, A Courtesan and her Attendants was created around 1780, during 'The Golden Age of Ukiyo-e'. The scene most surely illustrates the preceding statements. Suggesting rather than defining, each line brilliantly conveys gesture and expression. In both its subtle colourations and patterns, This woodcut is a striking original example of the art of Katsukawa Shuncho and also gives us the greatest elements of Japanese art from the Golden Age.

Original Japanese Woodcut by the Japanese artist, Katsukawa Shuncho.

A Courtesan and her Attendants

View other original 18th Century Japanese woodcuts.

18th Century Japanese woodcuts
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Artist	Source	-
01.-		A Courtesan and Her Attendants by Katsukawa Shuncho	Original Japanese Woodcut	c. 1780	Katsukawa Shuncho (Flourished, 1770 - 1792)	Signed by Katsukawa Shuncho in the block (lower right corner) and titled in the upper right corner.	Sold
02.-		Daikoku, The God of Wealth from the Ehon tekagami 'te-kagami' (An Illustrated Book of Model Paintings) by Ooka Shunboku (Ooka Shumboku), from the Ehon tekagami An Illustrated Book of Model Paintings	Original Japanese Woodcut (Single Panel)	c. 1720	Ooka Shunboku, 'Shumboku' (Japan, 1680 - 1763)	Published for the Ehon tekagami 'te-kagami' (An Illustrated Book of Model Paintings)	Sold
03.-		Egret and Rush from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Available
04.-		Floral Study from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
05.-		Horses from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On One Panel	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
06.-		Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Kanyosai gafu),by Ryotai Kanyosai published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1762	Ryotai Kanyosai (Japan, 1719 - 1774)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Kanyosai gafu	Sold
06.-		Peacock from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
07.-		Water Buffalo from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold
08.-		Young Sparrow from the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting), by Tachibana Morikuni Published by Nishimura Genroku	Original Japanese Woodcut On Two Adjoining Panels	1749	Tachibana Morikuni (Osaka, 1679-1748)	Published by Nishimura Genroku for the Unpitsu soga (Moving Brush in Rough or Rapid Painting)	Sold

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Title:	A Courtesan and her Attendants
Artist:	Shuncho, Katsukawa (Flourished, 1770 - 1792)
Date:	c. 1780
Medium:	Original Japanese Woodcut
Note:	Katsukawa Shuncho: It is for no small reason that the concluding decades of eighteenth century Japan are known as 'The Golden Age of Ukiyo-e'. This after all was the era of such dominant woodcut masters as Utamaro, Koryusai, Kiyonaga, Shunsho, Shunman and Katsukawa Shuncho. Their art expressed a beauty and refinement which has never to this day been equaled. Unfortunately, most surviving examples from this Temmei period are faded, stained or torn. Even these woodcuts, however, are extremely rare and of great importance if they originate from the hands of a true master such as Katsukawa Shuncho.
	Like most eighteenth century woodcut artists, little is known concerning the life of Katsukawa Shuncho. We know he was a pupil of Shunsho, an acknowledged master of actor prints. Shuncho learned from his master his near perfect harmonies of colours but was little interested in depictions of actors. Instead, he found his ideal in the work of Kiyonaga (1752-1815). Kiyonaga was a most important master of 'bijin-ga' -- pictures of beautiful women. To him we owe the invention of the tall, elongated beauties which are synonymous with golden age Japanese art.
	As early as 1780, Shuncho had become Kiyonaga's most accomplished follower. Many great scholars, however, have rightly pointed to elements within Shuncho's woodcuts which lift his art to at least an equal level with Kiyonaga. Richard Lane writes, "His actual prints possess a peculiar ethereal quality seldom found in Kiyonaga. There is, moreover, often a haunting mystery to Shuncho's women, an element unfortunately lacking in Kiyonaga's suave creations." * Similarly, J. Hillier states, "Nobody was ever more adept at disposing graceful groups of figures in a plein-air setting. Shuncho had a natural refinement that made him avoid over-complexity and a restraint that prevented the multitude of diversely patterned and coloured dresses becoming an uncontrolled riot of colour." ** ( * Richard Lane, Images from the Floating World: The Japanese Print, New York, Dorset Press, 1982, p. 134) (** J. Hillier, The Japanese Print: A New Approach, Rutland, Vermont, Charles E. Tuttle, 1975, p. 88. )
	A Courtesan and her Attendants most surely illustrates the preceding statements. Suggesting rather than defining, each line brilliantly conveys gesture and expression. In both its subtle colourations and patterns, this original woodcut gives us the greatest elements of Japanese art from the Golden Age.
	Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Printed upon 18th century Japanese mulberry (rice) paper and with full margins as published around 1780. Signed by Shuncho in the block (lower right corner) and titled in the upper right corner. Backed onto a similar sheet of paper by a previous owner. Contains one horizontal crease and several partly restored worm holes. As well, some of the original subtle pink tones have faded. Else, a fine, early impression bearing strong key block lines. As mentioned earlier, woodcuts from this period are extremely scarce and are most often found in a much poorer condition than this original example. Despite its wear, A Courtesan and her Attendants still brilliantly conveys the artistry of its creator. It thus stands as an important, original example of the famous art of Shuncho and of Japan's Golden Age.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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