Beauty with a Kitten early 18th century Nishikawa Sukenobu ???? A courtesan dressed in a grey patterned uchikake, or overrobe, a brilliant red kimono decorated with white dots arranged in a “faux tie-dyed” pattern, and a white underrobe, sits on the floor, her two-tiered chignon fastened with a white cloth tie and a tortoise shell comb. She leans against a kotatsu, a brazier covered by a low table and a cloth, for warmth during the winter season. In one hand she holds a kiseru, a long-stemmed tobacco pipe, and with the other she caresses a kitten partially tucked into her garment. In front of

Beauty with a Kitten early 18th century Nishikawa Sukenobu ???? A courtesan dressed in a grey patterned uchikake, or overrobe, a brilliant red kimono decorated with white dots arranged in a “faux tie-dyed” pattern, and a white underrobe, sits on the floor, her two-tiered chignon fastened with a white cloth tie and a tortoise shell comb. She leans against a kotatsu, a brazier covered by a low table and a cloth, for warmth during the winter season. In one hand she holds a kiseru, a long-stemmed tobacco pipe, and with the other she caresses a kitten partially tucked into her garment. In front of her is a lacquered, handled tray containing a set of utensils used for smoking, along with the pipe of her unseen male client. A shamisen (three-stringed instrument) lies beside her, its plectrum tucked beneath the courtesan herself is soft-featured and youthful, more delicate and fragile in appearance than beauties by Sukenobu’s contemporaries of the ukiyo-e world, like painters of the Kaigetsud? school, or Okumura Masanobu (1686–1764). The grey, white, red, and black color scheme is one that was used often by the is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential ukiyo-e painters of the early eighteenth century. He was also a prolific designer of woodblock-printed books. His work is important not only for its quality but for the strong influence it exerted upon other ukiyo-e artists, including those based in Edo (Tokyo), including Suzuki Harunobu (1725–1770), who were able to study his refined and distinctive figure style from his printed books as well as his Beauty with a Kitten. Nishikawa Sukenobu ???? (Japanese, 1671–1750). Japan. early 18th century. Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk. Edo period (1615–1868), probably Ky?h? era (1716–36). Paintings

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