Illustration of Poem by the Emperor Kwoko
Original title: Illustration of Poem by the Emperor Kwoko
kurzbeschreibung
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) made this colour woodblock print as an illustration to a poem by Emperor Kwoko. Several figures in traditional Japanese dress appear against a snowy landscape; the sheet dates from the nineteenth century and was printed in ink and colour on paper.
Description
Figures in traditional Japanese clothing fill the picture. One of them, holding a large parasol, anchors the symmetrical arrangement; the others move toward the falling snow. A clouded sky arches overhead, and at the upper right sits a text panel of Chinese characters on a red ground. Blues, greys and reds dominate the palette and heighten the wintry mood.
Context
Kuniyoshi ranks among the outstanding masters of nineteenth-century ukiyo-e. His output covers a great many prints on historical, literary and mythological subjects. That an imperial poem is illustrated here shows how closely poetry and the visual arts were bound together in the Japanese print tradition. Such sheets appeared either singly or as part of a series.
Impact
The snowy setting and strong colours produce a quiet, reflective atmosphere. The symmetrical layout, with the central figure, gives the sheet a clear structure that draws the eye to the main subject.
Technique
The image was produced as a woodblock print, with ink and colour on paper. For this process the designs are cut into wooden blocks, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The range of colours points to an elaborate multi-block technique.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)