Giving Daruma a Smoke
1765
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
27.6 × 19.2 cm (10 7/8 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20016
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *Giving Daruma a Smoke (1765) is a delightful color woodblock print from Japan's Edo period, exemplifying the ukiyo-e tradition of "pictures of the floating world." Measuring 27.6 × 19.2 cm in the chuban format—a popular smaller size for affordable, intimate viewing—this work captures Harunobu's as a pioneer of full-color nishiki-e. In 1765, he revolutionized woodblock printing by layering up to 10 colors from separate blocks, achieving vibrant hues and subtle gradients that brought scenes to life with unprecedented realism and charm. The print humorously depicts Daruma, the...
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...