Demon-crushing Bow
ca. 1765
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm); W. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
JP1010
Tags
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu *Demon-crushing Bow* (ca. 1765) is a delightful woodblock print from Japan's Edo period (16151868), capturing the playful spirit of ukiyo-e, the "floating world" genre that celebrated everyday life, beauty, and whimsy. ink and color print on paper, measuring about 11⅝ × 8⅜ inches, likely depicts boys and women engaged with a bow and arrow—evoking lighthearted scene of childhood games or folklore where the bow "crushes demons," blending innocence with protective mythology. Harunobu, a pioneering ukiyo-e artist, revolutionized printmaking around 1765 by introducing full-color *n...
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...