Sympathy 1758 - 1778

Curator: I am drawn to the palpable sense of intimacy in this print titled "Sympathy," a work created sometime between 1758 and 1778 by Suzuki Harunobu. The Met currently houses it. What are your first thoughts? Editor: An overwhelming melancholy. The muted colors—coral, pale blues—contribute to a quiet, almost mournful mood. There’s something beautifully somber about its restraint. Curator: Notice the composition. Harunobu has carefully arranged the figures, almost as though posed on a stage. We have a refined woman, seemingly lost in thought, her posture echoing a quiet grief. Down below, a young girl attends to a dog. Can you detect the symbolism? Editor: Dogs in art often stand for loyalty, yes? The young girl might be attempting to console the animal or is at its service, so perhaps this reinforces the idea of faithfulness in the face of the woman's sorrow. Also note that the workers carrying crops in the background are partially hidden by golden haze, reinforcing that the melancholy of the characters shown in the front is separate from everyday life. Curator: The haze you mention—it also suggests a blurring of the temporal boundaries, possibly alluding to themes of past memories intruding on the present. What do you make of her robes, draped so loosely about her? Editor: Well, the textiles themselves communicate status, naturally. However, beyond that, the loose draping reinforces her vulnerability and hints at an underlying fragility. These flowing garments might symbolize her shifting state of mind and her readiness to yield to overwhelming emotion. Curator: Ukiyo-e prints like these often reflected idealized notions of beauty and elegance, yet "Sympathy" feels deeply personal. Editor: Indeed, Harunobu manages to convey a complexity of emotions, moving beyond mere aesthetics. It’s a quiet exploration of sadness—a moment of stillness that truly lingers. Curator: Ultimately, "Sympathy" exemplifies how cultural visual language interacts with private emotions, creating an elegant moment for us to behold and contemplate.