Water Scene
Original title: Water Scene
kurzbeschreibung
A surimono colour woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from 1840, printed with ink and colour on paper, showing a woman in traditional Japanese dress seated in a boat. The sheet measures roughly 20.2 by 18.1 centimetres.
Description
A woman in traditional Japanese clothing sits in the foreground of a small boat. Behind her stretches a lake with further boats, one of them rowed by a man. Along the shore, trees and a building can be made out. Blues, greens and reds govern the colour scheme, and the lines are drawn clearly and precisely. Chinese characters are woven into the design of the image.
Context
The print was made in 1840, during the Edo period, an era of lively cultural flowering in Japan. Kuniyoshi ranked among the prominent masters of ukiyo-e and, alongside kabuki scenes, also devoted himself to landscapes and genre subjects. Surimono were produced as commissioned works for special occasions and often passed into the hands of connoisseurs and collectors.
Impact
Crisply drawn lines and strong colours give the sheet a calm, balanced character. Foreground and background are staggered in space, producing a quiet sense of depth that draws the viewer into the scene.
Technique
Ink and colour were printed on paper in the surimono woodblock process. Each colour area required its own block, cut separately and then printed in precise register one over another. Fine lines and exact colour application attest to the high craftsmanship of the print.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)