Winter: Storing Rice (Fuyu: kome osame no zu), No. 4 from the series "The Four Seasons of Farmers (Shiki no hyakusho)"
c. 1730s
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; hosoban, urushi-e
Dimensions
30.8 × 13.1 cm (12 1/8 × 5 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
31638
Art Historical Context
**Winter: Storing Rice (uyu: kome osame no zu)**, created by Torii Kiyomas II around the 1730s, is the fourth print in the captivating series *The Four Seasons of Farmers (Shiki no hyakusho)*. This hand-colored woodblock print captures poignant winter scene of rural Japanese life, where farmers diligently store rice—a vital staple—highlighting the rhythm of agrarian labor in Edo-period Japan (1603–1868). Kiyomasu II, from the esteemed Torii school known for vibrant ukiyo-e prints, shifts focus from urban Kabuki actors to everyday countryside folk, offering a rare glimpse into peasant resilienc...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomasu II · 1706–1763
At one point this artist was incorrectly identified as Kiyonobu II.