Gathering shell fish at low tide
c. 1789/1801
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban triptych
Dimensions
Each sheet approx: 40 × 25.4 cm (15 3/4 × 10 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21426
Art Historical Context
**Gathering Shellfish at Low Tide** by Utagawa Toyok I (1769–1825) captures a lively snapshot of everyday life along Japan's coastline during the late Edo period (c. 1789–1801). This vibrant color woodblock print, presented as an oban triych—three large sheets (each about 40 × 25.4 cm) that to form a panoramic scene—depicts villagers busily foraging for shellfish as the tide recedes. Toyokuni I, a master of the Utagawa school and pioneer in ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), was renowned for his dynamic portrayals of kabuki actors, beauties, and genre scenes, blending keen observation...
About the Artist
Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835
Japanese, 1777–1835