Gathering Shells at Low Tide, from the illustrated book "Gifts from the Ebb Tide (Shiohi no tsuto)"
1789
Medium
Color woodblock print; double-page illustration from book
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
130594
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan, Kitagawa Utamaro's *Gathering Shells at Tide* (1789) captures a serene moment from his renowned illustrated book *Gifts the Ebb Tide (iohi no tsuto)*. This double-page color woodblock print depicts elegant women foraging for seashells along the shore at low tide, embodying the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"— celebrated everyday beauty and transient pleasures. Utamaro a master of bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), elevates these ordinary activities into poetic scenes, highlighting the grace and allure of his female subjects amid n...
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) was one of the most celebrated masters of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, revolutionizing the art of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. Born Kitagawa Ichitaro, his early life remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts placing his birth in Kyoto, Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo (modern Tokyo), or Kawagoe in Musashi Province. Under the t...