View of Fukagawa, Edo
Original title: View of Fukagawa, Edo
kurzbeschreibung
Boats of various sizes drift on a river that runs through the Fukagawa district of Edo, while passers-by walk along the left bank and mountains rise in the distance. This colour woodblock print from around 1764 by Suzuki Harunobu presents a river landscape in ink and colour on paper.
Description
Several boats, some clearly carrying people, glide across the river that cuts through the foreground. A road runs along the left bank, where figures are seen walking, while on the right a wall with buildings and trees borders the waterfront. Mountains and further structures step back into the distance, deepening the sense of space. Greys and browns dominate the palette, with a few coloured accents providing focal points. Light falls evenly across the view, without strong shadows or highlights.
Context
Harunobu, a Japanese woodblock artist of the Edo period, is regarded as a pioneer of multicolour printing (nishiki-e) in the 1760s. Fukagawa, a district of Edo (present-day Tokyo), was known for its canals and fish market. At that time landscape subjects were gaining popularity in ukiyo-e, though Harunobu's fame rested mainly on figure prints. This sheet belongs to a series or album that gathers scenes of everyday city life.
Impact
A quiet, contemplative mood arises from the even distribution of light and the restrained colour choices. Clear lines and a legible layout create a harmonious order, allowing the viewer to enter into the everyday river landscape.
Technique
To produce the print in ink and colours on paper, the design is cut into woodblocks, inked, and pulled, with each colour requiring its own block. Harunobu worked with fine lines and precise printing to capture details such as the boats and figures.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)