Een vergelijking van kippen

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, passe-partout, links onder, gedrukt: JABdH met een haan.

Art Historical Context

**Een Vergelijking van Kippen** by Ryûryûkyo Shinsai (1825) invites visitors into the whimsical world of late Edo-period Japan. This intimate woodblock print, measuring just 216 × 189 mm, playfully depicts a comparison of chickens, capturing their lively forms with humor and precision. Shinsai, a master ofkiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world"—ized in surimono, privately commissioned prints often exchanged as New Year's greetings among literati. Crafted as a *nishikie* or "brocade picture," it showcases luxurious multicolored woodblock printing enhanced by shimmering metallic pigments and *karazuri* blindprinting, which creates subtle embossed textures without ink. These techniques elevated everyday subjects like poultry into opulent art, reflecting the era's fascination with nature's details and technical innovation in printmaking. Bottom left, a collector's mark—"JABdH" printed with a rooster—adorns the passe-partout, hinting at its prized status in European collections. This small treasure embodies ukiyo-e's cultural role in celebrating the ephemeral beauty of life, blending artistry with subtle wit for discerning eyes.