Russians (Oroshiajin)
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
32303
Art Historical Context
**Russians (Oroshiajin)**, a captivating color woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshik from 1861, exemplifies vibrant ukiyo-e tradition of Japan's Edo period. Produced in the standard oban size—roughly 10 by 15 inches—this belongs to the Utagawa school's legacy of depicting everyday life, theater, and emerging global encounters. Yoshikazu, in the mid-19th century, captured transient scenes with bold colors and dynamic compositions, making prints like this accessible to a wide audience through affordable multiples. Created during the turbulent Bakumatsu era, as Japan ended over two centuries of sako...
About the Artist
Utagawa Yoshikazu
Utagawa Yoshikazu (active circa 1850–1870) was a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print artist who came of age during one of the most dynamic periods in Japanese history — the twilight of the Edo period and the dawning of the Meiji era. Born and active in Edo (present-day Tokyo), he trained under the celebrated master Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the towering figures of the Utagawa school renowned for his ...