Daikokuten, from the series "The Seven Gods of Good Luck in Modern Life (Tosei Shichi Fukujin)"
c. 1769
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
28 × 20.4 cm (11 × 8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
6733
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Daikokuten, from the series "The Seven of Good Luck in Modern (Tosei Shichi Fukujin)"* (c. 1769) captures the playful spirit of Edo-period Japan through a vibrant color woodblock print. Harunobu, a master ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" genre—pioneered full-color nishiki-e prints in the 1760s, revolutionizing affordable art for everyday people. This chuban-sized print (28 20.4 cm) depicts Daikokuten, the jovial god of wealth and prosperity, reimagined in contemporary garb amid urban life, blending ancient mythology with 18th-century fashion and leisure. The *Sh...
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu · 1725–1770
Suzuki Harunobu (c. 1725-1770) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who revolutionized woodblock printing by developing nishiki-e—full-color prints using multiple woodblocks—in 1765. Before Harunobu, Japanese prints were limited to two or three colors; his innovation unleashed the entire artist's palette, transforming ukiyo-e into the vibrant art form that would later captivate Western artists from Manet...