Parody of the Noh Play Hakurakuten - Suzuki Harunobu

A classic mitate-e woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu, reimagining a traditional Noh play with contemporary Edo-period figures.

Suzuki Harunobu was a central figure in the development of nishiki-e, or brocade prints, which allowed for the use of multiple colours in Japanese woodblock printing. This work is a mitate-e, a parody or adaptation of a classical theme transposed into a contemporary setting. The original Noh play, Hakurakuten, depicts the Chinese poet Bai Juyi (known in Japan as Hakurakuten) meeting a deity disguised as an old fisherman. In this print, Harunobu replaces the traditional characters with figures from the Edo period.

The composition features two figures in separate boats on the water. On the left, a man in formal robes holds a scroll, while a woman stands in the boat on the right, holding a long, narrow painting that depicts another figure. The artist employs a delicate line quality, characteristic of his style, to define the figures and the ripples of the water. The colour palette is restrained, relying on soft pinks, greys, and muted earth tones, which is typical of the mid-18th-century aesthetic. The figures possess the slender, ethereal proportions that define Harunobu's work, moving away from the more robust depictions seen in earlier ukiyo-e prints.

This print demonstrates the intellectual playfulness common in Edo-period art, where viewers were expected to recognise the classical source material and appreciate the wit of the modern reinterpretation. The inclusion of calligraphy in the upper section provides context for the scene, linking the visual elements to the literary tradition. The spatial arrangement is relatively flat, prioritising the decorative quality of the garments and the rhythmic lines of the water over realistic perspective. This piece offers a view into the cultural life of 18th-century Japan, where classical literature and contemporary fashion intersected in the popular medium of the woodblock print.