Woman under a Willow Tree

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 Japanese

Not on view

Lush and sensual, ukiyo-e paintings of the eighteenth century idealized beauty, placing courtesans and young women in indoor and outdoor seasonal settings. Shunshō—an Edo bon vivant, painter, and print designer-was renowned for his facility in depicting actors and beautiful women. This early summer picture depicts a young woman from a good family standing under a willow tree. The poem at the top, composed and inscribed by Fūdo, a kyoka (satirical poem) poet, reads:

The willows would leaf in profusion in
an answer to the water's invitation.

#8950. Overview: Woodblock Prints

0:00
0:00
View Transcript
Woman under a Willow Tree, Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

painting

Woman under a Willow Tree, Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan
Woman under a Willow Tree, Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan
Woman under a Willow Tree, Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章 (Japanese, 1726–1792), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.