Delivering a Love Letter
c. 1777
Medium
Color woodblock print; hashira-e
Dimensions
68.9 × 11.5 cm (27 1/8 × 4 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
89131
Art Historical Context
**Delivering a Love Letter** by Isoda Koryūsai, created around 1777, captures a tender moment from Japan's Edo period in this exquisite color woodblock print. Known as a *hashira-e*—a tall, narrow "pillar print" designed to hang on architectural pillars—the artwork measures 68.9 × 11.5 cm, making it a striking vertical composition ideal for intimate domestic spaces. Koryūsai, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, specialized in depicting elegant women and everyday urban life, blending beauty with subtle narrative charm. This print exemplifies the technical bril...