Katsukawa Shunchō (勝川春潮) (artist 1783 – 1821)
Two girls relaxing with a dog
ca 1785
4.5 in x 26 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
Signed: Shunchō ga (春潮画)
Artist's seal: Nakabayashi (or Chūrin)
Publisher: Chichibuya Shōzanemon
Marks 027 - seal 01-006
The British Museum - the curatorial files refer to the animal as a cat
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - the animal is referred to as a puppy Judging from the robes of the two women in this composition it must be summer time. The woman seen lower down is stooping on the edge of the engawa. She appears to be examining a curiously small carved piece which looks strangely like an octopus. (Use the enlargement tool to see what we mean.) A puppy stares up at her intrigued by what she is holding.
The woman's companion is seated above her enjoying a smoke. Notice the long pipe she is holding. Next to her is a window (or painting) showing bamboo leaves - greatly faded.
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Illustrated in black and white in The Japanese Pillar Print: Hashira-e by Jacob Pins, Robert G. Sawers Publishing, 1982, page 276, #753. Pins refers to the animal as a dog. That copy is in the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden.
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There are at least two pillar prints by Shunchō which carry the Chichibuya Shōzanemon publisher's seal.
Chichibuya Shōzaemon (秩父屋庄左衛門) (publisher)
beautiful women (bijin-ga - 美人画) (genre)
pillar prints (hashira-e - 柱絵) (genre)