Sparrows and Camellia in Snow
c. 1831/33
Medium
Color woodblock print; otanzaku
Dimensions
38.7 × 17 cm (15 1/4 × 6 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
26189
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Two versions of this design exist in the Art Institute's collection, each printed by a different publisher. This image is thought to be the later of the two versions. The most striking difference between the two impressions is the rendering of the color of the sky.
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...