Schildpadden
c. 1825 - c. 1830
Medium
nishikie, with metallic pigments and blindprinting
Dimensions
184; 206
About this artwork
J.A. Bierens de Haan Bequest, Amsterdam
Art Historical Context
**Schildpadden (Turtles)** *Totoya Hokkei, c. 1825–1830* Totoya Hokkei, a Japanese ukiyo-e artist and pupil of the master Katsushika Hokusai, created this charming print during the late Edo period, time when woodblock printing flourished in Japan. Titled *Schildpadden*—Dutch for "Turtles"—the work likely captures these long-lived creatures as symbols of endurance and good fortune in Japanese culture, rendered with Hokkei's signature delicate touch and attention to natural forms. Measuring a modest 206 × 184 mm, it exemplifies the intimate scale of surimono (luxury prints often made for sp...
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...