Artwork

鈴木春信画「風俗四季歌仙立春」|The First Day of Spring (Risshun), from the series Fashionable Poetic Immortals of the Four Seasons (Fūzoku shiki Kasen)

鈴木春信画「風俗四季歌仙立春」|The First Day of Spring (Risshun), from the series Fashionable Poetic Immortals of the Four Seasons (Fūzoku shiki Kasen) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Suzuki Harunobu. It dates from 1768 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1768, this woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu belongs to the series titled Fashionable Poetic Immortals of the Four Seasons. The work, known as The First Day of Spring (Risshun), is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies the ukiyo-e genre’s focus on everyday elegance.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts an interior scene in which two women are positioned near sliding doors. One, dressed in dark, patterned robes, kneels and holds a fan while gazing downward. The other, in a vivid red garment, stands near the doors, also holding a fan. A branch bearing tiny blossoms extends through the doorway, suggesting the arrival of spring.

Technique & Style

Harunobu employs bold, saturated pigments and clear, simplified outlines to convey a lively atmosphere. The patterned textiles feature woven‑stripe motifs rendered with fine line work, while the delicate rendering of the flowering branch demonstrates his skill in balancing decorative surface with natural detail.

History & Provenance

The print was produced in the late eighteenth century, a period when Harunobu’s innovations in multicolor printing were reshaping ukiyo-e. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the twentieth century, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s Japanese prints holdings.

Context

The series portrays seasonal themes through the lens of fashionable courtesans, reflecting contemporary Edo‑period interest in poetry, fashion, and the passage of time. Risshun, marking the first day of spring, was traditionally associated with renewal, a motif echoed in the delicate blossoms visible beyond the screen.

Legacy

Harunobu’s work in this series contributed to the popularization of the bijin-ga (beautiful women) genre and influenced later ukiyo-e artists who adopted his delicate color harmonies and elegant figure compositions.