Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, by Suzuki Harunobu, ink, 1750
Untitled, by Suzuki Harunobu, ink, 1750

Untitled is an ink print by the Baroque artist Suzuki Harunobu. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The presence of the pine and broom may allude to longevity and household order, while the love letter introduces a narrative of romantic exchange.

The print shows a woman holding a love letter, surrounded by symbols such as a pine tree, basket, broom, and cattle. These elements reference everyday domestic scenes and auspicious imagery common in Edo-period imagery. The presence of the pine and broom may allude to longevity and household order, while the love letter introduces a narrative of romantic exchange.

Together they construct a layered scene that blends the personal with the symbolic, typical of Harunobu's bijin-ga works.

Technique & Style

Created in 1750, this work is a woodblock print executed with ink and color on paper. The piece belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition, specifically categorized as nishiki-e (brocade pictures) and egoyomi (calendar prints). Stylistically, it functions as a bijin-ga, depicting a woman alongside motifs such as a pine tree, basket, broom, cattle, and a love letter. The composition integrates these elements into a portrait format characteristic of Suzuki Harunobu's output.

History & Provenance

Untitled is a woodblock print created by Suzuki Harunobu in 1750, classified within the ukiyo-e tradition as a bijin-ga. It depicts a woman holding a love letter, surrounded by symbols including a pine tree, basket, broom and cattle. The print belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it forms part of the museum's ukiyo-e holdings.

The available sources do not record a reliable accession number or any documented exhibition history for the work.

Context

The work is associated with Harunobu's full-color nishiki-e production and the vibrant print culture of mid-eighteenth-century Edo. Its compositional refinement and the subtle narrative layering of the depicted domestic scene place it within the bijin-ga tradition of depicting beautiful women. The piece is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, affirming its institutional relevance and scholarly attention.

Legacy

Suzuki Harunobu's Untitled woodblock print, depicting a woman with a love letter amid symbols such as a basket, broom, pine tree, and cattle, belongs to the bijin-ga genre within ukiyo-e. Its compositional clarity and emblematic motifs are characteristic of the domestic and romantic imagery that defined Edo-period print culture. The work is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, underscoring its recognized significance within major institutional holdings.

Overview

Created around 1750, this woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu presents a quiet domestic scene. A woman in a light‑coloured kimono rests against a pine tree, clutching a woven basket while a diminutive cow grazes nearby. The composition also includes a broom, suggesting everyday household activity within a natural setting.

忠臣蔵八段目|Two Tori-oi, or Itinerant Women Musicians of the Eta Class
忠臣蔵八段目|Two Tori-oi, or Itinerant Women Musicians of the Eta Class, Kitagawa Utamaro

Artist & collection

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Suzuki Harunobu in 1725–1770.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.