After a little music, from an untitled series of 12 erotic prints
c. 1673/81
Medium
Woodblock print; oban, sumizuri-e
Dimensions
27.2 × 38.3 cm (10 3/4 × 15 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
130214
Art Historical Context
Hishikawa Moronobuactive c. 1670s–1690s), often hailed as the first great master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" that captured Japan's vibrant urban life during the Edo period—created *After a Little Music*, part of an untitled series 12 erotic prints around 1673–81. This woodblock print an intimate moment following musical entertainment, reflecting the playful sensuality of shunga, a revered genre of erotic art that was both private indulgence and cultural staple among samurai, merchants, and commoners. Produced in the bustling Yoshiwara pleasure district's heyday, it embodies...
About the Artist
Hishikawa Moronobu
Hishikawa Moronobu (1618–1694) holds an unassailable position in Japanese art history as the founder of ukiyo-e, the 'pictures of the floating world' that would become Japan's most internationally recognized art form. Born in the provincial town of Yasuda during the early Edo period, Moronobu transformed woodblock printing from a purely utilitarian craft into an independent artistic medium, establ...