Children Playing Tug of War
early 19th century
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
20.8 × 18 cm (8 1/4 × 7 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81035
Art Historical Context
In the playful woodblock print *Children Playing Tug of War*, Totoya Hokkei captures a moment of youthful exuberance from early 19th-century Japan Created during the Edo period, this intimate surimono—a luxurious, privately commissioned print often produced for New Year's greetings or special occasions—depicts children gleefully pulling on a rope, their dynamic poses conveying pure joy and camaraderie. Hok, a skilled ukiyo-e artist by masters like Hokusai, excelled in these small-format works (just 20.8 × 18 cm), which allowed for exquisite detail and vibrant colors achieved through meticulous...
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...