Hoofdstuk 1 1847 - 1850

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, to open a book or series of prints. The scene is composed of flattened planes and sharp outlines, typical of ukiyo-e. Note how the composition uses the architecture to divide the space, creating a kind of stage for the figures. The scene is set inside a room where figures are arranged to suggest narrative relationships. A man sits passively while attendants surround him. The artist uses a restricted palette, but the patterns on the kimonos demonstrate sophisticated decorative effects. Kunisada uses line and color to define forms, rather than relying on shading or perspective. The flatness creates a deliberate visual effect, emphasizing the artifice of the scene. In this period, Japanese art often incorporated literary and theatrical references, blending art with cultural narratives. Notice how Kunisada's formal choices not only depict a scene but also invite us to consider the interplay between surface and depth, representation and artifice.