Suo Province, from the series "Modern Scenes of the Provinces in Edo Brocades (Edo nishiki imayo kuni zukushi)"
Medium
Color woodblock print; bottom half of oban sheet
Dimensions
17.2 × 21.3 cm (6 3/4 × 8 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
130733
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant "Suo Province," a color woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi from his 1852 series *Modern Scenes of the Provinces in Edo Brocades (Edo nishiki imayo kuni zukushi)*. This bottom half of an oban sheet (17.2 × 21.3 cm) captures a lively snapshot of everyday life in Suo Province (modern-day Yamaguchi Prefecture), blending urban Edo flair with provincial charm. Kuniyoshi, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, infuses the scene with his signature wit and dynamic composition, evoking the "floating world" of fleeting pleasures. As a *nishiki-e*—or "brocade picture"—this print showcase...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...