Woman in Night Robe Reading a Letter

Woman in Night Robe Reading a Letter

Suzuki Harunobu

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In his hashira-e, or pillar print, Harunobu depicts a woman reading a letter in an extremely casual manner. The thin, vertical nature of the pillar print helps to stress the languidness of the scene, as do the robe, sash, and letter, all draped heavily downward in an elongated manner.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Woman in Night Robe Reading a LetterWoman in Night Robe Reading a LetterWoman in Night Robe Reading a LetterWoman in Night Robe Reading a LetterWoman in Night Robe Reading a Letter

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.