Paper Wasp (Hachi); Hairy Caterpillar (Kemushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
Original title: Paper Wasp (Hachi); Hairy Caterpillar (Kemushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
kurzbeschreibung
This double-page spread comes from Kitagawa Utamaro's Ehon mushi erami (Picture Book of Crawling Creatures), published in 1788. On the left, a paper wasp hovers in flight beside its nest; on the right, a hairworm winds across a flowering plant. The print is a woodblock in ink and color on paper and measures 26.7 x 18.4 cm.
Description
On the left, a wasp hovers with wings rendered as faint, almost transparent suggestions; above it opens a nest with several cells. A short Japanese text block accompanies the scene. On the right, a hairworm with many thread-like segments twists over a plant with leaves and pink blossoms. Pastel tones dominate, green for the foliage and pink for the flowers. Even light without shadows reinforces the flatness of the picture surface.
Context
Ehon mushi erami appeared during the Edo period, when Japanese art turned intensely toward observing nature. Utamaro's book is among the earliest documents in woodblock-printed literature to feature insects and small creatures. Botanical and zoological studies were gaining importance in Japan at the time. The publication took its place in a series of natural-history picture books that appealed to an educated urban audience.
Impact
Delicate lines and pastel hues create a quiet, almost scientific mood. The translucent wasp contrasts with the dense rendering of the hairworm, bringing out the different surfaces of the two animals. The sheet conveys a wondering closeness to nature without idealizing it.
Technique
For printing, contours were cut sharply into the block and then colored with watercolors. Precisely cut lines capture insects and plants with the accuracy of Japanese color woodblock printing. Sparingly applied color produces the nearly transparent areas, while densely set lines emphasize the details of the hairworm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)