<b>THE NEW PILLOW AND THE FIRST BLOSSOMING OF THE PLUM</b> / Suzuki Harunobu1770<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

This charming Suzuki Harunobu design depicts an amorous couple as they settle in for the evening to enjoy each other’s company. The thickness of the robes and blankets suggest it is late winter or early spring. The folding screen in the background with a blossoming tree promises the warmer days of spring are close at hand. The pair of birds next to the blooming branch echoes the union of these lovers. The poem, floating above, reads as an incantation summoning the coming season:

 Sode fureba/ iro made utsure/ kurenai no/ hatsuhana some ni/ sakeru umegae

 First flower of the spring. The crimson color is reflected in the kimono sleeves.

Harunobu was one of the first Ukiyo-e artists to incorporate poetic prose into his designs. This particular poem is articulated quite well within the confines of the print as a cleverly designed cloud pattern inset.

Connoisseur's Note

This impression has extraordinarily fresh and vivid colors which are rarely seen on Harunobu prints outside museums. Further, the print showcases deluxe printing effects such as embossing around the outline of the robes and blankets giving the garments a thicker, more luxurious appearance. The embossing also furnishes a more intimate experience, inviting the viewer to examine the print at a closer proximity. Although size often gets overlooked with prints, this impression boasts an uncut full sheet—note the generous margin at left and the unprinted portion at right. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen margins of this size on commercially available Harunobu prints.

This particular impression is an extraordinary find. Until recently, this design was known in a single impression located at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. If we compare both prints, there is a consistency in impression and color. This is a rare opportunity, perhaps once in a lifetime, to acquire a near unique Harunobu in an exceedingly fine state of preservation.