Bird and Iris
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
13 1/16 x 4 5/16 in. (33.2 x 11 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1897
Tags
Art Historical Context
Utagawa Hiroshige *Bird and Iris* is a delicate woodblock print from Japan's Edo period (16151868), a time when ukiyo-epictures of the floating world"—captured the beauty of everyday life and nature. Hiroshige (1797–1858), one of the masters of this vibrant printmaking tradition alongside Hokusai, often turned his keen eye to landscapes and seasonal motifs. Though the exact date is unknown, this narrow-format work (known as *hosoban*) exemplifies his skill in the *kacho-e* genre, focusing on birds and flowers to evoke harmony and transience. Crafted with ink and color on paper, the print show...
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...