Poem by Sakanoue no Korenori, from an untitled series of Thirty-Six Immortal Poets c. 1767 - 1768

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print, "Poem by Sakanoue no Korenori," now at the Art Institute of Chicago, with precise lines and soft colours. The composition is divided into distinct planes that invite us to consider the relationship between interior and exterior spaces. We see two women engaged in quiet observation or perhaps contemplation. One sits with a tea set, while the other is framed by a latticed window, creating a sense of enclosure and visual separation. The lines of the lattice intersect with the figure, fragmenting our view and drawing attention to the act of seeing. This is further complicated by the poem inscribed above, which acts as a visual and textual element that overlays the scene. Consider how Harunobu uses these structural elements to destabilize a straightforward reading of the image, prompting us to reflect on how art mediates our experience of the world. The superimposition of text onto image invites us to interpret the relationship between them and reminds us that meaning is never fixed but is always subject to interpretation.