The Jewel River at Ide (Ide no Tamagawa), from an untitled series of Six Jewel Rivers
c. 1767
Medium
Color woodblock print; chuban
Dimensions
28 × 20.2 cm (11 × 7 15/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20847
Art Historical Context
Suzuki Harunobu's *The Jewel River at Ide (Ide no Tamagawa)* created around 1767, is a delicate color woodblock print from an untitled series depicting Japan's legendary Six Jewel Rivers—poetic sites celebrated for their shimmering waters and romantic allure in classical literature. This chuban-sized work (28 × 20.2 cm) captures the serene beauty of Ide no Tamagawa, one of these revered rivers, evoking the elegance of Edo-period (1603–1868) Japan. Harunobu, a master of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), pioneered full-color nishiki-e prints just two years earlier, making art accessibl...
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu · 1725–1770
Suzuki Harunobu (c. 1725-1770) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who revolutionized woodblock printing by developing nishiki-e—full-color prints using multiple woodblocks—in 1765. Before Harunobu, Japanese prints were limited to two or three colors; his innovation unleashed the entire artist's palette, transforming ukiyo-e into the vibrant art form that would later captivate Western artists from Manet...