Grasshopper (Kirigirisu); Cicada (Semi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
Original title: Grasshopper (Kirigirisu); Cicada (Semi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
kurzbeschreibung
A grasshopper rests on a leaf at the left of this two-page spread, while a cicada sits on a gourd fruit at the right. Kitagawa Utamaro, one of the leading masters of Japanese ukiyo-e, made the sheet for the illustrated book Ehon mushi erami, a work devoted to insects and plants, published in 1788.
Description
On the left a grasshopper has settled on a leaf, surrounded by a plant with further leaves and blossoms. To the right a cicada rests on a gourd fruit, likewise set among foliage and flowers. Greens and yellows in various gradations govern the colouring, against which the insects stand out in darker tones. Japanese text on the left-hand page explains the subject.
Context
Ehon mushi erami appeared in 1788 and represents the botanical and entomological illustration of the Edo period. Utamaro produced it on a publisher's commission, with the aim of presenting the diversity of nature. Such picture books were highly popular among educated circles in Japan and combined entertainment with the transmission of knowledge.
Impact
A quiet, nature-close mood emanates from the sheet, carried by the balanced arrangement of insects and plants. The precise draughtsmanship reveals a scholarly care, while the colouring feels poetic.
Technique
The sheet was printed as a woodblock in ink and colour on paper. This process reproduces the finest details, such as the structure of the insects and the surface of the leaves. Several printing passes laid down the colours and produced delicate gradations.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)