The Courtesan Somenosuke of the Matsubaya Establishment with Her Child Attendants Takegi and Takeba, from a series of Portraits of Courtesans

By 1925, purchased in Japan by Frank Lloyd Wright; ca. 1926, acquired by The Bank of Wisconsin; 1928, sold to Edward Burr Van Vleck (Madison, WI); 1943, passed through inheritance to Edward’s son, John H. Van Vleck (Madison, WI); 9 January 1980, bequeathed by John H. Van Vleck to the Elvehjem Museum of Art [now called Chazen Museum of Art]

• Osumi, Takeshige, ed. "Edward Burr Van Vleck Collection Ukiyo-e Masterpieces Exhibition." Tokyo: Bun You Associates, 1999.
• Collia-Suzuki, Gina. "The Complete Woodblock Prints of Kitagawa Utamaro: a Descriptive Catalogue." Weston-super-Mare: Nezu Press, 2009. p. 276, cat. no. 204.4

• Chōnin: Japanese Art from the Elvehjem Collection: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 9/1/2001–11/11/2001
• Floating World: Japanese Prints from the Van Vleck Collection, The: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 4/21/2001–6/17/2001
• Edward Burr Van Vleck Collection: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 10/13/1999–6/30/2000
• Calm Lives, Exuberant Pleasures : Outstanding Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Van Vleck Collection: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 3/31/1984–4/15/1984

• Asia
• Prints
• E. B. Van Vleck Collection of Japanese Prints

The Chazen Museum of Art welcomes comments or inquiries about works in our collection. Please allow two–three weeks for a response. Chazen staff is not able to provide valuations or authentications and such inquiries cannot be answered.