Fidelity (Shin), from the series Five Cardinal Virtues - Suzuki Harunobu
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu, depicting a contemplative woman on a veranda, part of the Five Cardinal Virtues series.
This woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu belongs to the series Five Cardinal Virtues, a set of works exploring Confucian moral concepts through the lens of contemporary Edo life. Harunobu is credited with the development of nishiki-e, or brocade prints, which allowed for the use of multiple colours in a single composition. This technical advancement transformed the medium, enabling artists to achieve a level of nuance and tonal variety previously unavailable in Japanese printmaking.
The composition depicts a woman seated on a wooden veranda, her posture reflecting a moment of quiet contemplation. She rests her chin on her hand, looking out toward a body of water where a small boat navigates the waves. The scene is framed by the overhanging branches of a maple tree, its leaves rendered in autumnal shades that suggest a specific season. The architectural lines of the veranda provide a geometric counterpoint to the organic forms of the tree and the distant shoreline.
Harunobu often placed his figures in domestic or semi-domestic settings, using these spaces to suggest narrative depth. The inclusion of writing materials on the low table before the woman hints at a literary or scholarly pursuit, aligning with the theme of fidelity. The print demonstrates the artist's characteristic approach to figure drawing, featuring slender proportions and delicate facial features. The colour palette remains balanced, relying on soft tones to create a sense of harmony between the subject and her environment. The use of space is deliberate, with the foreground veranda acting as a stage for the figure, while the background provides a sense of distance and atmosphere. This work represents the refined aesthetic of the mid-Edo period, where the focus shifted toward the depiction of grace and emotional interiority within the constraints of the woodblock medium.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Fidelity (Shin), from the series Five Cardinal Virtues - Suzuki Harunobu
Artist Biography
Suzuki Harunobu
Harunobu moved away from the stiff portraits of kabuki actors common in his era. He preferred to depict young women in their daily lives, often using an elevated viewpoint to look into private spaces. His series Zashiki hakkei, or Eight Parlour Views, provides a clear example of his method. He took classical Chinese themes and reimagined them as domestic scenes. A temple bell might become a chiming clock. A distant storm is represented by a woman drying herself after a bath.
Modern collectors value these prints for their quiet atmosphere and precise compositions. Harunobu avoided the aggressive energy of later ukiyo-e artists. He chose instead to focus on slender figures and soft colour harmonies. His work captures specific moments of leisure, such as playing cat's cradle or walking by the shore. These scenes offer a calm window into eighteenth-century Japan. They remain popular because they balance historical detail with a clean, graphic sensibility that suits contemporary interiors.
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