Aalscholver vissen bij nacht

About this artwork

Drie vrouwen in een vissersboot; vrouw aan het roer en een zogende vrouw, kijkend naar vrouw met fakkel en drie aangelijnde aalscholvers; onder een rode lucht.

Art Historical Context

**Aalscholver v bij nacht (Cormorant Fishing at Night)**Katsukawa Shunsen, ca. 1800–1810 Nishiki-e (color woodblock print); × 361 mm Step aboard a moonlit fishing boat in this enchanting nishiki-e print Katsukawa Shunsen a master of Japan's ukiyo-e tradition the late Edo period. scene captures three women engaged in the ancient practice of ukai, or cormorant fishing: steers the vessel, another nurses her child while gazing intently, and a third holds a flaming torch to guide three leashed cormorants—trained birds that dive for fish at night. Bathed in a vivid red sky, the composition glows with the dramatic interplay of firelight and shadow, evoking the "floating world" of fleeting pleasures and everyday wonders that defined ukiyo-e art. Nishiki-e, or "brocade pictures," revolutionized printmaking with intricate multi-block color techniques, layering pigments for jewel-like vibrancy. Shunsen, known for his expressive yakusha-e (actor portraits) in the Katsukawa school style, here infuses bijin-ga elegance into a nocturnal riverside ritual typically led by men, adding a whimsical, feminine twist. Cormorant fishing, dating back over 1,300 years, remains a cultural treasure in Japan, symbolizing harmony between humans and nature—perfectly rendered in this intimate, 19th-century snapshot of tradition and beauty.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunsen · 1762–1831

Japanese, 1762–ca.1830