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 × 27 cm (7 × 10 5/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34711
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Double-page Illustration from Vol. 2 of "Picture Book of Spring Broc (Ehon haru no nishiki)"* (1771) captures the vibrant spirit of Edo-period Japan through a masterful color woodblock print. Harunobu, a pioneeringkiyo-e artist, revolutionized printmaking in 1765 by introducing full *nishiki-e* (brocade pictures), which layered multiple woodblocks for rich, jewel-like hues. This double-page spread from his illustrated book series evokes the fleeting beauty of spring, blending delicate scenes of nature and human life in a format that made art accessible beyond elite circles. ...
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...