Parting of Lovers: The Morning After

Suzuki Harunobu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Harunobu's keen interest in translucent objects, such as the mosquito net, was well served by his invention of the polychrome print technique. The new availability of different shades of colors enabled him to show the subtle changes that are necessary to create the look of translucence. In the horizontal print (yoko-e) depicting lovers parting in the morning, the woman is willingly entangled in the net, reluctant to leave the scene of a tryst. In contrast, the man is outside the net, ready to return to the reality of everyday life. Harunobu deftly uses the mosquito net to illustrate their predicament.

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