On the Veranda

Suzuki Harunobu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this genre scene, a woman standing on a veranda bends over and dips water to wash her hands. The young boy amuses himself with a toy while his mother prepares herself for a busy day of housework—the mother calm and composed, the child moving about restlessly. With a touch of humor, Harunobu, inventor of the nishiki-e, or multicolor print, placed a monochrome screen painting inscribed with his signature within this polychrome print.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art