Woman Playing with Pekingese Dog, or The Elegance and Freedom of Script (So), from the series "Three Works of Three Aesthetics (San tai san ban shoku)"
about 1830
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
21.9 × 19.5 cm (8 5/8 × 7 11/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81051
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of 19th-century Japanese ukiyo-e, Totoya Hokkei's *Woman Playing with Pekingese, or The Elegance Freedom of Script (So captivates with its intimate charm. Created around 1830, color woodblock print is asurimono*—a luxurious, privately commissioned format often produced for New Year's greetings or poetry gatherings among elites. Hokkei, a pupil of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, mastered these small-scale gems (just 21.9 × 19.5 cm), blending delicate lines with vivid colors to evoke everyday elegance. Part of the series *Three Works of Three Aesthetics (San tai san ban s...
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...