Catching Fireflies
About 1767
Medium
Color woodblock print; chūban
Dimensions
27.2 × 20.3 cm (10 3/4 × 8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20977
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Suzuki Harunobu made this print depicting two people catching fireflies during the early years of full-color printing. Here the night appears as a flat black, and the fireflies have no glow. Instead of atmospheric effects, the image focuses on the complicated and elegant design of the colorful clothing worn by the young man and woman.
About the Artist
Suzuki Harunobu · 1725–1770
Suzuki Harunobu (c. 1725-1770) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who revolutionized woodblock printing by developing nishiki-e—full-color prints using multiple woodblocks—in 1765. Before Harunobu, Japanese prints were limited to two or three colors; his innovation unleashed the entire artist's palette, transforming ukiyo-e into the vibrant art form that would later captivate Western artists from Manet...