Gathering Bamboo Shoots
c. 1765
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
24.5 × 18.5 cm (9 5/8 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20801
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Gathering Bamboo Shoots* (. 1765) is a delightful color woodblock print from Japan's Edo period, capturing the serene beauty of everyday life. Harunobu, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, pioneered full-color nishiki-e prints around this time, revolutionizing Japanese printmaking. This chuban-sized work—measuring just 24.5 × 18.5 cm—exemplifies his intimate, poetic depictions of women in harmonious natural settings, blending subtle humor and elegance. Printed using multiple woodblocks inked with vibrant pigments, the technique allowed for ...
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...