Suzuki Harunobu

Suzuki Harunobu (born 1725?, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan—died July 8, 1770, Edo) was a Japanese artist of the Ukiyo-e movement (paintings and wood-block prints of the “floating world”), who established the art of nishiki-e, or polychrome prints. He created a fashion for pictures of lyrical scenes with figures of exquisite grace.

It is believed that Harunobu studied painting in Kyōto with Nishikawa Sukenobu and went to Edo about 1760. Harunobu’s works were of little distinction until he started designing nishiki-e in 1765 for haiku (17-syllable verse) poems. It had become fashionable to exchange such prints with poetry at the beginning of the new year. He designed numerous prints, with delicate colouring and graceful lines. Contrasting with the shun-ga, or prints depicting erotic scenes, his prints depicting idyllic love were especially appreciated by his contemporaries. He excelled in drawing background scenes that added a subtle mood to his images.