『百千鳥狂歌合』|Myriad Birds:A Playful Poetry Contest (Momo chidori kyōka-awase), 2 vols.
1790
Medium
Two volumes; woodblock printed books; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Each: 10 × 7 1/2 × 1/4 in. (25.4 × 19.1 × 0.6 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JIB77a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of Edo-period Japan with *Myriad Birds: A Playful Poetry Contest* (*Momo chidori kyōka-awase*), a two-volume woodblock-printed book created by master ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro in 1790. This charming illustrated anthology features *kyōka*—humorous, irreverent parodies of traditional tanka poetry—centered on the theme of birds, blending sharp wit with vivid imagery. Produced using intricate woodblock techniques with ink and color on paper, each volume measures a compact 10 × 7½ × ¼ inches, perfect for intimate perusal in the floating world of urban entertainme...
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...