Book of Ehon Ginsekai (The World in Silver) (1754–1806, Met-Objekt 4495)
Original title: Book of Ehon Ginsekai (The World in Silver)
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many related ukiyo-e landscapes that bring figures or striking architecture to the fore, this print gives itself over entirely to the stillness of a snowy river mouth. Kitagawa Utamaro, active between 1754 and 1806, created with the 'Buch der Ehon Ginsekai (The World in Silver)' a color woodblock print that shows a boat on calm water before bare trees and snow-covered mountains. The work is executed in ink and color on paper.
Description
The layout feels stretched and spacious: in the foreground a boat with a covered awning and oar rig glides over quiet water. Behind it, snowy slopes and a few sparse trees stagger upward, giving the view its footing. Grays and whites predominate, softly graded and without hard contrasts, which produces a muted, calm mood. Neither people nor animals enliven the sheet—only the tree structures organize the landscape.
Context
Utamaro (1753–1806) counts among the most prominent exponents of Japanese ukiyo-e and is known above all for his portraits of women; alongside them stand nature studies such as this one. The print belongs to a series of landscape depictions from the late Edo period. The title 'Ginsekai'—Silver World—names the wintry snow landscape, a favorite subject in Japanese art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds the work as a public-domain object.
Impact
The restrained color and clear linework lend the sheet a quiet, almost meditative air. The expanse and the small boat create a feeling of solitude that is in harmony with nature. The calm arrangement lets the viewer sink into the wintry scene.
Technique
The print was produced using the ukiyo-e woodblock method, in which ink and colors are printed onto paper; this technique allows both precise lines and flat color gradations. The dimensions are 25.1 x 37.8 cm including the margins—a format customary for single-sheet prints of the period.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)