A Girl Writing a Letter, Edo period (1615?1868), 18th century, Japan, Polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper, H. 11 1/2 in. (29. 2 cm) ; W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm), Prints, Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1725?1770), The seated young woman has been writing what is probably a love letter, but she attempts to hide it from the man who has just entered. The painting on the sliding screen behind the figures provides Harunobu with the opportunity to elaborate on the theme of letter writing by alluding to a classical episode from ancient Chinese history