Numazu, section of a sheet from the series "A Harimaze Mirror of Joruri Plays (Harimaze joruri kagami)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; section of harimaze sheet
Dimensions
9.8 × 10.5 cm (3 7/8 × 4 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
33450
Art Historical Context
Nestled within the vibrant world of 19th-century Japanese uyo-e prints, *Numazu* is a captivating section from Utagawaiyoshi's 1854 series *A Harimaze Mirror ofuri Plays (Harimaze joruri kagami)*. Kuniyoshi, a master the Utagawa school renowned for his dynamic depictions of warriors, ghosts, and kabuki actors here captures a scene from joruri—Japan's traditional puppet theater, linked to bunraku and kabuki. This small color woodblock print (9.8 × 10.5 cm) evokes the theatrical energy of Edo-period (1603–1868) entertainment, where stories of heroism and romance enthralled urban audiences. The ...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...