Young Woman with a Pipe in Her Hand Gazing at Landscape Painted on a Screen 1725 - 1770

This Japanese woodblock print, made by Suzuki Harunobu around 1768, presents a young woman in a patterned kimono, seated beside a screen displaying a landscape. The composition is divided by the stark, geometric frame of the screen, contrasting the flat, grey background with the detailed landscape and the figure. Harunobu masterfully uses line and color to create depth and texture, from the gentle curve of the woman's neck to the intricate folds of her robes. The landscape, viewed through the screen, offers a serene vista of mountains, trees, and water, rendered in muted tones. The print reflects a broader cultural interest in framing and perspective, challenging fixed notions of space and representation. The screen itself acts as a signifier, mediating our view of the world and suggesting multiple layers of reality. The artist prompts us to consider the interplay between art, nature, and the gaze.