Ukifune and Ukon approach the island of Tachibana
c.1740
Medium
Woodblock print; hosoban
Dimensions
32.2 × 15.4 cm (12 5/8 × 6 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
44169
Art Historical Context
In the enchanting woodblock print *Ukifune and Ukon Approach the Island of Tachibana (c. 1740), Okumura Masanobu a poignant moment from *The Tale of Genji Japan's timeless 11th-century novel by Murasaki Shikibu The narrow hosoban format—measuring just 32.2 × 15.4 cm—depicts the protagonists Ukifune, a tragic heroine, and her loyal attendant Ukon as they near the misty island of Tachibana, fleeing turmoil in a scene rich with emotional tension and natural beauty. Masanobu, a pioneering ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period (1603–1868), mastered the hosoban style, a slender vertical print ideal for ...
About the Artist
Okumura Masanobu · 1686–1764
Japanese, 1686–1764