Visiting
Original title: Visiting
kurzbeschreibung
Suzuki Harunobu made this colour woodblock print around 1769. Two women in traditional dress appear in an interior. Ink and colour on paper form the basis of the sheet.
Description
Light falling from the front brings the faces into brightness. In the foreground a woman sits on a low chair and lifts her gaze; behind her stands a second, smiling. Both wear elaborate hairstyles and garments of the Edo period. Vertical wooden posts suggest an interior, and characters appear at the upper right. Earth tones dominate the colour, with red and blue as accents.
Context
Harunobu is regarded as a pioneer of multicolour woodblock printing (nishiki-e), which emerged in Edo in the 1760s. During that phase the urban bourgeoisie was forming as an audience for prints. Everyday encounters were among the frequent motifs of ukiyo-e art in those years.
Impact
The two women's gazes run counter to each other, giving the image a quiet yet tense note. Clear contours and a coordinated play of colours create a familiar, almost silent mood.
Technique
The woodblock print was made by printing ink and colours on paper. Precise lines and flat tones characterise Japanese colour woodblock printing of the 18th century.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)