Where can I see Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink)?

Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink) is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink)?

Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink) is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink)

Two Courtesans on a Balcony (From the series Five Colors of Ink) is a print by the Romanticist artist Kikukawa Eizan. It dates from 1814 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Two Courtesans on a Balcony is a print from the series Five Colors of Ink, created by Kikukawa Eizan around 1814. It is part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts two women in ornate kimonos on a balcony, one holding a fan and the other lost in thought. The fan may have been used for discreet communication, adding a layer of subtle meaning to the scene.

Technique & Style

The kimonos are rendered in bold, colorful patterns, with one figure in green and blue hues and the other in orange and black. The simple garden behind the balcony fence provides a serene backdrop to the vibrant scene.

Artist & collection

Artist

Kikukawa Eizan

Kikukawa Eizan was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints. He first studied with his father, Eiji, a minor painter of the Kanō school, and subsequently with Suzuki Nanrei (1775–1844), of the Shijō…