Good and Evil Influences (Zendama akudama)
c. 1795
Medium
Color woodblock print; left sheet of oban triptych (center sheet: 1925.2574)
Dimensions
36 × 24.4 cm (14 3/16 × 9 9/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
3592
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This color woodblock print from around 1795 was created by Eishosai Choki as the left panel of an oban triptych.itled *Good and Evil Influences (Zendama akudama)*, the work likely formed part of a larger narrative exploring moral themes popular in Edo-period Japan. Measuring just 36 by 24.4 centimeters, the print exemplifies the intimate scale of many ukiyo-e sheets designed for personal enjoyment or display in homes. Woodblock printing allowed artists like Choki to reach wide audiences with vibrant, multi-colored images. As the left sheet of a triptych, this piece would have connected visual...