Harunobu (Suzuki Harunobu) [key], 1724–70, Japanese color-print artist of the ukiyo-e school. He was the first to use a wide range of colors effectively in printing. In 1765 he created multicolored calendar prints from wood blocks. He continued to produce works notable for their pure color harmony, delicacy of line, and subtlety of feeling. From popular portrayals of actors and courtesans, he progressed to interpretations of domestic life, idyllic love, and graceful figures of young girls. Traditionally, the prints he made are called nishiki-e [Jap.,=brocade pictures], a broad term also used to describe the works of other artists.
See catalog of his works by J. Hillier (1970); biography by I. Kondo (1956); study by S. Takahashi (1968).
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