The Seventh Month (Fumizuki)
Original title: The Seventh Month (Fumizuki)
kurzbeschreibung
In the seventh month, lovers celebrate their reunion, and Suzuki Harunobu captures this moment in his colour woodblock print 'The Seventh Month (Fumizuki)', made around 1865. A woman in traditional dress appears on a staircase, rendered in ink and colour on paper, measuring 35.6 by 7.6 cm. The print exemplifies the ukiyo-e style: vertical in format and rich with symbolic motifs.
Description
In the foreground stands a woman in a red-and-grey striped kimono, a fan in her hand; she looks upward and smiles. Her hair is tied up and adorned with ornaments. Above her, a large, crescent-like moon fills the upper half of the image; between it and the figure is a tree with green leaves and red paper strips. Grey, blue, green, and red dominate the palette, while light falling from above highlights the moon and the woman.
Context
When ukiyo-e prints became widespread in the late Edo period, Suzuki Harunobu was one of the defining artists, admired for his multicolour woodcuts. The theme of the seventh month draws on the Tanabata festival, celebrated in that month. The moon and the tree with paper strips are festive signs of this custom.
Impact
The vertical layout and the woman's upward gaze convey a quiet, contemplative mood. Clear contours and graduated tones give the print a balanced harmony. Together, the moon and the figure create a poetic atmosphere that draws the viewer into the image.
Technique
A separate woodblock was used for each colour, which explains the sharp lines and flat, enclosed areas of colour. Printing was done with ink and watercolour on paper; this multicolour method is characteristic of ukiyo-e. The finest details and precise execution attest to the printer's high level of craftsmanship.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)