The Introduction (Miai), the first sheet from the series "Marriage in Brocade Prints, the Carriage of the Virtuous Woman (Konrei nishiki misao-guruma)"
c. 1769
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban yoko-e
Dimensions
20.1 × 28 cm (7 7/8 × 11 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21127
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *The Introduction (Miai)*, created around 1769, captivatingly captures a pivotal moment in traditional Japanese marriage customs: the formal first meeting between a prospective bride groom, known as *miai*. As the opening sheet from the series *Marriage in Brocade, the Carriage of the Virtuous Woman (Konrei nishikiao-guruma)*, this color woodblock print depicts elegant figures in a domestic setting, adorned in luxurious kimonos that highlight the social rituals of Edo-period (1603–1868) Japan. Rendered in the chuban yoko-e format—a compact horizontal half-sheet measuring 20.1...
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...