A Man and Two Women at a Teahouse at Wada no Ura Overlooking the Sea
Original title: A Man and Two Women at a Teahouse at Wada no Ura Overlooking the Sea
kurzbeschreibung
This undated colour woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu was made in the second half of the 18th century. It pictures three people inside a teahouse on the bay of Wada no Ura: a woman in the middle holding a cup, a man seated at the left and another woman at the right. The sheet is executed in ink and colour on paper.
Description
All three figures wear traditional Japanese robes and are gathered indoors. Two of the women have settled on a bench, while the third person, a woman, stands with something in her hand. An opening lets the eye out to the sea, where several boats are visible. Earth tones dominate the palette, with red and blue providing accents. The light is even and bright, suggesting daytime.
Context
A pioneer of multicolour woodblock printing (nishiki-e), Suzuki Harunobu helped shape the art of the Edo period. The coastal landscape of Wada no Ura, near Kamakura, was regarded as a picturesque spot. Harunobu often took up scenes of everyday life or literary subjects, frequently with an elegiac undertone. The print carries no exact date but is assigned to his working phase in the 1760s.
Impact
The relaxed postures of the figures and the broad seascape give the image a calm, idyllic mood. A clear layout and harmonious colours add to an atmosphere of quiet contemplation.
Technique
The sheet was printed as a woodblock print in ink and colour on paper. Harunobu used the multicolour process known as nishiki-e, in which several woodblocks are employed for the different colours. Finely worked lines and subtle colour gradations attest to the artist's high technical precision.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)