The Man Outside
ca. 1770
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 27 5/8 in. (70.2 cm); W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
JP1435
Tags
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *The Man Outside* (ca. 1770) is a captivating woodblock print Japan's Edo period (16151868), exemplifying the ukiyo-e genre—"pictures of the floating worldthat celebrated urban life, beauty, and fleeting pleasures. Harunobu1725–1770), a pioneering artist, revolutionized printmaking by introducing full-color nishiki (brocade pictures) around 1765, using woodblocks inked in vibrant hues to create layered, jewel-like effects on paper. This narrow, vertical format (known as *hashira-e* or pillar prints) was designed to hang on walls, blending artistry with everyday decor. The sc...
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...