Young Woman Riding a Carp
Original title: Young Woman Riding a Carp
kurzbeschreibung
Suzuki Harunobu captured a young woman riding on the back of a large carp in the 1760s. The image is a Japanese color woodblock print, printed with ink and color on paper.
Description
Upright and enthroned, the woman sits above the powerful fish, whose scales and fins are worked out in detail. Her garment is brightly patterned, her hair piled high and held by a ring. Between her fingers she holds a written sheet, while curving lines suggest the water. Chinese characters appear in the upper left. Earthy tones dominate the palette, lightened by accents of red and blue.
Context
Harunobu is regarded as a pioneer of nishiki-e, the multicolored woodblock print that became established in Edo, present-day Tokyo, from the 1760s. Such prints were made for a broad urban audience and often took up scenes of everyday life or literary allusions. Nothing is known about who commissioned this work, but the careful execution suggests an edition for wealthy buyers.
Impact
Despite the unreal subject, the layout remains calm and balanced because the main figure is placed centrally. Strong, clear colors and clean linework give the print the decorative elegance characteristic of Harunobu's work.
Technique
Several woodblocks were used for the multicolored printing, each for a separate color. The sharp contours and clearly defined color areas are produced by printing ink and colors onto paper.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)