Harunobu | Courtesan Burning a Love Letter
鈴木春信 Suzuki Harunobu (1724–1770)
见立返魂香
Courtesan Burning a Love Letter
1765-70
木版画 | 纵绘中判 | 27.5 x 20.9cm
Woodblock-print | Chuban tate -e | 27.5 x 20.9cm
非常轻微褪色；背面有先前装裱的残留物
Very slight faded; very slight centrefold; residue of the mounting paper on the back
PRICE ON REQUEST
秋草屏风掩映锦衾，年轻的姑娘正在火盆旁焚烧着卷卷书信。忽地浓烟伴着火舌升起，半空中，浮现出一位手持烟管青年的身影。眼见此景的姑娘赶紧提上衣袖，满眼深情地望向她心心念念的、可望而不可即的爱侣。
可令人起死回生的返魂香，最初见于东方朔所著的《海内十洲记》。据传汉武帝也曾用它来召唤日思夜想的李夫人，祈求能与她的魂魄再见上一面。此事虽难知真假，但仍因白居易的一首《李夫人》而被千古传颂，甚至，还流传到了东瀛——一如本作所示。
春信以美人指代汉武帝，把李夫人换成小生，将恋人之间的字字真情，看作是比返魂香更具法力的神品，运用传统的“见立绘”手法，重新解构了这个传颂千年的凄美故事，相较于平常的美人绘而言在文学性与故事性更胜一筹，充分展现了春信对生与死、古与今以及情与爱的独特理解，意义非凡，韵味绵长。
The young courtesan, her heart broken, burns her lover’s letters in a flaming brazier on an autumnal afternoon. And then, in the smoke – his image appears, evoking all the deep emotions of love and affection she’d sought to destroy.
It’s a somber, magical image from the brush of Suzuki Harunobu, considered by some to be the father of color Japanese woodblock prints. But while the design is creative to the point of being modernly surreal, its origins actually go way back to ancient China, making this a perfect print for Art Of Ukiyoe’s Chinese-Japanese-Western audience.
The idea of incense smoke conjuring humans was first seen in "Records of the Ten Continents in the Sea" written by Dongfang Shuo. It is said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also used it to summon Madam Li, of whom he dreamt day and night. Harunobu uses the beauty to represent Emperor Wu of Han and replaces Lady Li with a young man. It’s a clever switch, and it gives this marvelous design an entirely new power.
Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.
鈴木春信 Suzuki Harunobu (1724–1770)
见立返魂香
Courtesan Burning a Love Letter
1765-70
木版画 | 纵绘中判 | 27.5 x 20.9cm
Woodblock-print | Chuban tate -e | 27.5 x 20.9cm
非常轻微褪色；背面有先前装裱的残留物
Very slight faded; very slight centrefold; residue of the mounting paper on the back
PRICE ON REQUEST
秋草屏风掩映锦衾，年轻的姑娘正在火盆旁焚烧着卷卷书信。忽地浓烟伴着火舌升起，半空中，浮现出一位手持烟管青年的身影。眼见此景的姑娘赶紧提上衣袖，满眼深情地望向她心心念念的、可望而不可即的爱侣。
可令人起死回生的返魂香，最初见于东方朔所著的《海内十洲记》。据传汉武帝也曾用它来召唤日思夜想的李夫人，祈求能与她的魂魄再见上一面。此事虽难知真假，但仍因白居易的一首《李夫人》而被千古传颂，甚至，还流传到了东瀛——一如本作所示。
春信以美人指代汉武帝，把李夫人换成小生，将恋人之间的字字真情，看作是比返魂香更具法力的神品，运用传统的“见立绘”手法，重新解构了这个传颂千年的凄美故事，相较于平常的美人绘而言在文学性与故事性更胜一筹，充分展现了春信对生与死、古与今以及情与爱的独特理解，意义非凡，韵味绵长。
The young courtesan, her heart broken, burns her lover’s letters in a flaming brazier on an autumnal afternoon. And then, in the smoke – his image appears, evoking all the deep emotions of love and affection she’d sought to destroy.
It’s a somber, magical image from the brush of Suzuki Harunobu, considered by some to be the father of color Japanese woodblock prints. But while the design is creative to the point of being modernly surreal, its origins actually go way back to ancient China, making this a perfect print for Art Of Ukiyoe’s Chinese-Japanese-Western audience.
The idea of incense smoke conjuring humans was first seen in "Records of the Ten Continents in the Sea" written by Dongfang Shuo. It is said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also used it to summon Madam Li, of whom he dreamt day and night. Harunobu uses the beauty to represent Emperor Wu of Han and replaces Lady Li with a young man. It’s a clever switch, and it gives this marvelous design an entirely new power.
Interested in purchasing?
Please contact us.
鈴木春信 Suzuki Harunobu (1724–1770)
见立返魂香
Courtesan Burning a Love Letter
1765-70
木版画 | 纵绘中判 | 27.5 x 20.9cm
Woodblock-print | Chuban tate -e | 27.5 x 20.9cm
非常轻微褪色；背面有先前装裱的残留物
Very slight faded; very slight centrefold; residue of the mounting paper on the back
PRICE ON REQUEST
秋草屏风掩映锦衾，年轻的姑娘正在火盆旁焚烧着卷卷书信。忽地浓烟伴着火舌升起，半空中，浮现出一位手持烟管青年的身影。眼见此景的姑娘赶紧提上衣袖，满眼深情地望向她心心念念的、可望而不可即的爱侣。
可令人起死回生的返魂香，最初见于东方朔所著的《海内十洲记》。据传汉武帝也曾用它来召唤日思夜想的李夫人，祈求能与她的魂魄再见上一面。此事虽难知真假，但仍因白居易的一首《李夫人》而被千古传颂，甚至，还流传到了东瀛——一如本作所示。
春信以美人指代汉武帝，把李夫人换成小生，将恋人之间的字字真情，看作是比返魂香更具法力的神品，运用传统的“见立绘”手法，重新解构了这个传颂千年的凄美故事，相较于平常的美人绘而言在文学性与故事性更胜一筹，充分展现了春信对生与死、古与今以及情与爱的独特理解，意义非凡，韵味绵长。
The young courtesan, her heart broken, burns her lover’s letters in a flaming brazier on an autumnal afternoon. And then, in the smoke – his image appears, evoking all the deep emotions of love and affection she’d sought to destroy.
It’s a somber, magical image from the brush of Suzuki Harunobu, considered by some to be the father of color Japanese woodblock prints. But while the design is creative to the point of being modernly surreal, its origins actually go way back to ancient China, making this a perfect print for Art Of Ukiyoe’s Chinese-Japanese-Western audience.
The idea of incense smoke conjuring humans was first seen in "Records of the Ten Continents in the Sea" written by Dongfang Shuo. It is said that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty also used it to summon Madam Li, of whom he dreamt day and night. Harunobu uses the beauty to represent Emperor Wu of Han and replaces Lady Li with a young man. It’s a clever switch, and it gives this marvelous design an entirely new power.