Seated Guanyu Reading the Book of Chunqiu by Zuo Qiuming
1820s
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
20.8 × 18.1 cm (8 1/4 × 7 3/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81086
Art Historical Context
In the serene woodblock print *Seated Guanyu Reading Book of Chunqiu by Zuo Qiuming*, created Totoya Hokkei in 1820s, we encounter a reverent portrayal of Guan Yu—one of China's most iconic historical figures, revered as a god of war, loyalty, righteousness. Hokkei, a skilled ukiyo-e artist pupil of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, depicts the armored warrior in a moment of quiet contemplation, absorbed in the ancient Confucian text *Spring and Autumn Annals* by Zuoqiu Ming. This intimate scene (measuring just 20.8 × 18.1 cm) blends martial valor with scholarly wisdom, reflecting East Asian i...
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...