Freeing a captured bird
c. 1769/70
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
28.5 × 21.1 cm (11 1/8 × 8 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21043
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Freeing a Captured Bird* (c. 1769/70) is a delicate color woodblock print from Japan's Edo period, exemplifying the ukiyo-e tradition of "pictures of the floating world." Harunobu (1725–1770), a pioneer in full-color nishiki-e prints, revolutionized the medium around 1765 by layering vibrant hues through multiple carved woodblocks. This chuban-format work (28.5 × 21.1 cm), smaller and more intimate than larger ōban prints, was affordable for urban merchants and samurai, reflecting the booming print culture of 18th-century Tokyo. The scene likely depicts a graceful woman gen...
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...