Combing His Hair
Original title: Combing His Hair
kurzbeschreibung
Suzuki Harunobu made this colour woodblock print in 1770 under the title "Combing His Hair". Two figures in traditional Japanese dress appear, one of them combing the other's hair. The sheet belongs to ukiyo-e, an art movement devoted to scenes from everyday life.
Description
A seated figure holding an instrument occupies the middle of the picture, while a second person leans over and arranges their hair. A roof with snowflakes and a shelf of assorted objects fill the background. The palette feels earthy, threaded with red and brown accents. Both figures are drawn in rich detail, the lines clear, the colours laid on in flat areas. Even light and the interior setting give the scene a calm, familiar mood.
Context
Harunobu ranks among the leading masters of ukiyo-e in eighteenth-century Japan and is regarded as a pioneer of multicolour printing (nishiki-e). Made in the late Edo period, when woodblock prints were gaining popularity in urban circles, the sheet presents an everyday moment with two figures, in keeping with the era's taste for genre pictures and courtly life. The snowflakes point to the cold season, a motif that often appears in Japanese art as a poetic image.
Impact
The arrangement feels balanced and harmonious, carried by quiet earth tones. The intimate gesture of combing creates a still, private atmosphere. Clear lines and delicate colouring produce an aesthetic elegance characteristic of Harunobu's work.
Technique
Ink and colours on paper, printed in the multicolour process (nishiki-e): several woodblocks were used for the different colours. The colours sit in flat areas, with fine lines defining contours and details.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)