Ox (Ushi), from the series "Twelve Hours of the Floating World (Ukiyo juni shi)"

Art Historical Context

Katsukawa Shunchô's *Ox (Ushi)*, from the series *Twelve Hours of the Floating WorldUkiyo jūni shi)*, captures the vibrant spirit of Edo-period Japan around 1780–1801. As a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world"—Shunchô specialized in depicting the transient pleasures of urban life, including courtesans, actors, and nocturnal revelry. This color woodblock print, in the popular oban format (about 25.8 × 18.9 cm), belongs to a series illustrating Japan's traditional 12 zodiac hours, with the Ox (Ushi) representing the quiet pre-dawn hours of 1–3 a.m., often evoking secretive, intimate moments in the pleasure districts. The woodblock technique itself was revolutionary, allowing mass production of affordable, vividly colored art for everyday people. Multiple carved woodblocks were inked in layers of pigment and pressed onto paper, yielding Shunchô's delicate lines, subtle gradients, and lush patterns. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print exemplifies ukiyo-e's cultural role in democratizing beauty and storytelling, blending zodiac lore with the hedonistic "floating world" ethos. Visitors will appreciate how *Ox* immerses us in a bygone era's rhythm, where time was marked not by clocks but by zodiac animals and fleeting joys—a timeless reminder of life's ephemeral elegance.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunchô · 1780–1801

Katsukawa Shunchō was a Japanese designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints active from approximately 1780 to 1795, one of the most graceful practitioners of the art of bijinga — pictures of beautiful women. He trained in the studio of Katsukawa Shunshō, the founding master of the Katsukawa School, whose pupils also included the young Hokusai. Shunshō's school was primarily known for realistic portraits...