Ono no Komachi Washing the Book
Edo period (1615–1868), 1765/66
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
27.9 × 20.3 cm (11 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20807
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This design originally appeared as part of the series The Seven Fashionable Aspects of Komachi, but here it was adapted for a pictorial calendar for the year 1766. The boy is about to pour water over the woman’s writing, much in the same way Ono no Komachi washed a scroll to remove text added by a rival in a poetry contest. The name of the year is written on the boy’s sash, the short months (with 29 days) appear on the letter, and the long months (with 30 days) are written on the woman’s sleeves...
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...