聚鳥畫譜|Picture Album of Various Birds (Shūchō gafu)
1885, first month
Medium
Polychrome woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 9 15/16 × 7 1/16 in. (25.2 × 18 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
JIB2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1885 during Japan’s Meiji period, *Picture Album of Various Birds* (*Shūchō gafu*) by Numata Kashū exemplifies the enduring appeal of woodblock printing even as the country embraced rapid modernization. This polychrome printed book uses ink and color on paper to present a series of bird illustrations, including striking images of eagles. Measuring just under ten inches tall, the compact format was well suited for personal study or appreciation, reflecting a long-standing Japanese tradition of illustrated albums that combined art and natural observation. The woodblock medium itself ...