Hanging up dyed cloth
c. 1805
Medium
Color woodblock print; nagaban, surimono
Dimensions
18.8 × 55.6 cm (7 3/8 × 21 7/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
24506
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokus (1760–1849), one of Japan's most celebrated ukiyo-e masters, captures a slice of everyday life in his color woodblock print *Hanging up Dyed Cloth* (c. 1805). Created during the Edo period, when urban culture flourished in Japan, this work reflects the "floating world" genre—depicting transient pleasures like labor, fashion, and nature. The scene likely shows figures gracefully handling vibrant dyed fabrics, a nod to traditional textile dyeing techniques central to Japanese craftsmanship. Printed in the luxurious *surimono* style—privately commissioned for special occasions l...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...