Lady with Black Hood and Umbrella Out Walking with Young Attendant
Original title: Lady with Black Hood and Umbrella Out Walking with Young Attendant
kurzbeschreibung
Two figures walk side by side: the one on the left wears a flower-patterned robe and holds a large yellow umbrella, while the one on the right carries a fan. Suzuki Harunobu captured this scene as a woodblock print in ink and color on paper, made during the Edo period.
Description
A yellow umbrella arches over the left-hand figure, who is wrapped in a robe patterned with flowers. Beside her walks a second person in traditional dress, holding a fan. Both have dark hair and wear traditional footwear. Wavy lines and plants behind them suggest a shoreline. Overall the colors stay muted.
Context
Suzuki Harunobu ranks among the major Japanese woodblock artists of the eighteenth century and is tied to the development of multicolor printing (nishiki-e). Strolling figures were a favorite ukiyo-e subject, catching everyday life in Edo. Women in company appear often in the art of this era.
Impact
The muted palette and calm layout give the image a quiet, contemplative mood. Delicately drawn lines and the balanced placement of the two figures produce an aesthetic equilibrium characteristic of Harunobu. The scene feels elegant and ordinary at once, and that is where its appeal lies.
Technique
Ink and color on paper, printed from woodblocks: multicolor printing allowed for fine gradations and detail. The sheet measures 25.4 cm in height and 19.4 cm in width, which corresponds to the chuban format.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)