After a little music, from an untitled series of 12 erotic prints

Art Historical Context

Hishikawa Moronobuactive c. 1670s–1690s), often hailed as the first great master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" that captured Japan's vibrant urban life during the Edo period—created *After a Little Music*, part of an untitled series 12 erotic prints around 1673–81. This woodblock print an intimate moment following musical entertainment, reflecting the playful sensuality of shunga, a revered genre of erotic art that was both private indulgence and cultural staple among samurai, merchants, and commoners. Produced in the bustling Yoshiwara pleasure district's heyday, it embodies the era's fascination with fleeting pleasures amid strict social hierarchies. Rendered in sumizuri-e technique—monochrome black ink on paper—this oban-sized print (27.2 × 38.3 cm) showcases Moronobu's pioneering mastery of woodblock printing. Fine lines and subtle shading convey texture, movement, and emotion with remarkable fluidity, laying groundwork for later color ukiyo-e masters like Utamaro and Hokusai. Its historical significance lies in popularizing affordable, mass-produced prints that brought high art to everyday audiences, blending eroticism with elegant composition. Held in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this work offers a window into 17th-century Japan's bold artistic expression, where sensuality intertwined with beauty and transience.

About the Artist

Hishikawa Moronobu

Hishikawa Moronobu (1618–1694) holds an unassailable position in Japanese art history as the founder of ukiyo-e, the 'pictures of the floating world' that would become Japan's most internationally recognized art form. Born in the provincial town of Yasuda during the early Edo period, Moronobu transformed woodblock printing from a purely utilitarian craft into an independent artistic medium, establ...