Lovers Beneath a Mosquito Net
Original title: Lovers Beneath a Mosquito Net
kurzbeschreibung
Suzuki Harunobu made this colour woodblock print, Lovers under a Mosquito Net, in the 18th century. It presents a couple in traditional Japanese dress beneath a red mosquito net. The sheet measures 19.4 x 27.9 cm and is executed in ink and colour on paper.
Description
Two figures lie on a bed: one rests on the back, while the other leans closer, lying on the stomach. Both are dressed in traditional Japanese garments. A red curtain and a mosquito net frame the couch. Toward the back a table and a bowl can be made out. The palette runs to red, green and brown with white and black accents.
Context
Suzuki Harunobu was an outstanding woodblock artist of the Edo period and is regarded as a pioneer of multicolour printing (nishiki-e). Intimate scenes of this kind belonged to the ukiyo-e genre, which portrayed the pleasure quarters and everyday life. The print bears witness to the cultural rise of urban culture in the 18th century.
Impact
A calm, confidential mood pervades the image, brought about by soft light and harmonious colours. Clear lines and the precise rendering of the figures give it an elegant, almost poetic note.
Technique
Ink and colour on paper, printed from woodblocks: Harunobu used multicolour printing, in which a separate block was employed for each colour. This allowed fine gradations and a high degree of detail.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)