Maple Leaf Viewing (Momiji gari)
1794
Medium
Color woodblock print; aiban, nishiki-e
Dimensions
31.3 × 22.4 cm (12 3/8 × 8 7/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9788
Art Historical Context
Step into the enchanting world of Edo-period Japan with *Maple Leaf Viewing (iji gari)*, a stunning 1794 color woodblock print by the enigmatic Tōshūsai Sharaku. Measuring 31.3 × 22.4 cm in the aiban format—a taller, half-sheet size ideal for dramatic vertical compositions—this *nishiki-e* (brocade picture) bursts with vibrant hues achieved through intricate layering of color blocks, a pinnacle of ukiyo-e printing techniques. Sharaku, active for just 18 months around 1794–95, revolutionized actor portraits (*yakusha-e*) with his bold, unflinching style. Unlike the idealized beauties of contem...
About the Artist
Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794–1795
Tōshūsai Sharaku stands as one of the most enigmatic figures in Japanese art history, a ukiyo-e printmaker whose brilliant career blazed for just ten months from the summer of 1794 to early spring 1795. Active exclusively in Edo (modern Tokyo), he produced approximately 150 woodblock prints and sketches, primarily yakusha-e—intimate portraits of kabuki actors captured mid-performance. Published by...