Takasago Harbor
ca. 1760
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
13 3/4 x 5 3/4 in. (34.9 x 14.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Morris Manges, in memory of her husband, Dr. Morris Manges, 1947
Accession Number
JP3043
Tags
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Takasago Harbor*, around 1760, is a captivating woodblock print from Japan's Edo period (16151868), a time of relative peace and flourishing urban culture in cities like Edo (modern Tokyo). This intimate work, measuring just 13¾ x 5¾ inches, depicts a bustling harbor scene with boats and figures, evoking the "floating world" of ukiyo-e—the popular art form celebrating everyday pleasures, theater, and nature. Harunobu, a pioneer of full-color nishiki-e prints (ink and color on paper), revolutionized woodblock printing by layering vibrant hues through precise carving and mult...
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu · 1725–1770
Suzuki Harunobu (c. 1725-1770) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who revolutionized woodblock printing by developing nishiki-e—full-color prints using multiple woodblocks—in 1765. Before Harunobu, Japanese prints were limited to two or three colors; his innovation unleashed the entire artist's palette, transforming ukiyo-e into the vibrant art form that would later captivate Western artists from Manet...