"Ru": Northern Province, from the series "Tales of Ise in Fashionable Brocade Pictures (Furyu nishiki-e Ise monogatari)"
c. 1772/73
Medium
Color woodblock print; koban
Dimensions
22.7 × 15.9 cm (8 15/16 × 6 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
89201
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Japan with Katsukawa Shunsho's "Ru": Northern Province, a captivating color woodblock print from series *Tales of Ise in Fashionable Brocade PicturesFuryu nishiki-e Ise monogat)*, created around 1772/73. Shunsho, a leading ukiyo-e master of the Edo period, was renowned for his elegant yakusha-e (actor) and innovative depictions of classical literature reimagined through contemporary fashion. This koban-format print—measuring a petite 22.7 × 15.9 cm—exemplifies the "floating world" aesthetic, blending storytelling with stylish visuals. The series dra...