Katsukawa Shunchō (勝川春潮)

Katsukawa Shunchō (勝川春潮) was a Japanese print designer whose artistic activity is documented across a relatively focused period, spanning from approximately 1767 to 1780. Known primarily for his work in the woodblock print medium, Shunchō specialized in figural compositions, often depicting the detailed social and domestic lives of women, including high-ranking courtesans.

The artist’s work is highly regarded and represented in major international institutions, affirming the museum-quality standard of his surviving output. Institutions holding examples of his artistry include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. Database records document fourteen prints and one other artwork by Katsukawa Shunchō represented across these collections.

Notable compositions held within these museum collections capture the era's aesthetic focus on beauty and portraiture. These include the complex figural prints The Oiran Shirayu of Wakanaya attended by Two Kamuro and Shinzo and The Oiran Wakoku of Echizen-ya attended by a Shinzo and a Kamuro. Shunchō also focused on women in outdoor and narrative settings, exemplified by works such as Courtesans in an Iris Garden, Girl on River Bank, and Three Women on a Bridge. Due to the age of these works, many Katsukawa Shunchō (勝川春潮) prints are now in the public domain, allowing access to high-quality prints for study and appreciation.