All Kinds of Household Items (Chodo zukushi), from the series "Famous Scenes from Japanese Puppet Plays (Yamato irotake)"

Art Historical Context

Okumura Masanobu's *All Kinds of Household Items (Chodo zukushi)*, created around 1705/06, is a captivating early woodblock print from the Edo-period series *Famous Scenes from Japanese Puppet Plays (Yamato irotake)*. Printed in the oban format (27.3 × 39.1 cm), this sumizuri-e—a striking monochrome technique using black ink on paper—showcases Masanobu's mastery of line work and composition. As one of the pioneering ukiyo-e artists in early 18th-century Japan, he bridged traditional illustration with the emerging floating-world aesthetic, capturing everyday life with wit and precision. The print exuberantly displays a cornucopia of household goods, from utensils to furnishings, evoking the vibrant domestic scenes often dramatized in popular bunraku puppet theater. This series drew inspiration from joruri plays, which enthralled Edo audiences with their tales of love, valor, and humor. Masanobu's innovative use of sumizuri-e allowed for bold contrasts and intricate details, predating the multicolored benizuri-e prints he later popularized. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this work highlights ukiyo-e's roots in mass-produced art for the public, blending utility with artistry. It invites visitors to ponder the intimacy of Japanese home life through a playful lens, revealing how everyday objects became stars in the theater of print culture.

About the Artist

Okumura Masanobu · 1686–1764

Japanese, 1686–1764