Double-page Illustration from Vol. 2 of "Picture Book of Spring Brocades (Ehon haru no nishiki)"
1771
Medium
Color woodblock print; double-page illustration from book
Dimensions
17.8 × 26.9 cm (7 × 10 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34700
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Japan with this exquisite double-page illustration from Volume 2 of Suzuki Harunobu's *Picture of Spring BrocadesEhon haru no nishiki)*, created in 1771. Harunobu, a master ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" that captured fleeting pleasures like beauty, theater, and nature—was a pioneer in full-color woodblock, known as *nishiki-e* or "brocade pictures." This intimate book page, measuring just 17.8 × 26.9 cm, exemplifies his delicate depictions of elegant figures amid springtime splendor, blending poetry with visual poetry. Printed using i...
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...