Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770) | Young woman by a river bank | Edo period, 18th century

A young woman stands by the bank of a river surrounded by large blossoming chrysanthemums. Her kimono is decorated with variously sized poem papers among other floral motifs. She holds a sprig of chrysanthemum; her eyes directed at the meandering waters before her. The composition can be described as a mitate, or parody of Kikujido [lit. Chrysanthemum boy]. The tale describes the exile of a youth who discovers an immortal elixir from the dew of chrysanthemum leaves inscribed with Buddhist scripture cast into a nearby stream. 

Haruobu designed two mitate-e on the subject of Kikujido. 

For a different impression of the same print (additionally signed Kinga ko and sealed Kinga) in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 21.4576, go to:

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/232253

For the other design, also in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession number 11.19443, go to:

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/212238