画本虫撰|Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (The Insect Book) (Ehon mushi erami)
probably 1823 (later edition)
Medium
One from a set of two polychrome woodblock printed books; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 9 15/16 × 7 3/16 in. (25.2 × 18.3 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1918
Accession Number
JIB44a
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the enchanting world of Edo-period Japan with *Ehon mushi erami* (Picture Book of Crawling Creatures), a masterful polychrome woodblock-printed by Kitagawa Utamaro (3–1806). Though this is a later edition from around 1823, it Utamaro's signature ukiyo-e style— for its exquisite detail and vibrant hues—showcasing an array of insects amid blooming flowers. These delicate creatures, from beetles to butterflies, are rendered with scientific precision and poetic grace, reflecting the era's fascination with nature's fleeting beauty. Woodblock printing, a pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship...
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...