Mole Cricket (Kera); Earwig, (Hasami-mushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
Original title: Mole Cricket (Kera); Earwig, (Hasami-mushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
kurzbeschreibung
This 1788 page comes from Kitagawa Utamaro's woodblock-printed picture book Ehon mushi erami. It shows a mole cricket and an earwig among plants, printed with ink and colour on paper.
Description
On the left half, a mole cricket rests on the ground beside a plant with several leaves and a flower. To the right, an earwig has settled on a blossom that belongs to a larger bouquet. Japanese calligraphy accompanies both sides. Grey and brown tones dominate, while green and white accent the leaves and flowers. The lighting stays even, without strong shadows or contrasts.
Context
Utamaro made this work during the late Edo period, when Japanese art was flourishing intensely. His Ehon mushi erami of 1788 is regarded as a remarkable document of insect painting, which often came with poetic or natural-historical notes. Utamaro, otherwise famous for portraits of women, reveals here his interest in nature.
Impact
Precise lines and a calm, balanced layout distinguish the page. Because zoological accuracy and aesthetic design come together, the insects appear dignified.
Technique
The page was printed as a woodblock in ink and colours on paper. The sharp contours and the detailed rendering of the insects correspond to the woodblock art of that era.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)