Pleasure with the Beauties of Japan (Wakoku bijin asobi)

Art Historical Context

**Pleasure with the Beaut of Japan (Wak bijin asobi)**, created by Hishikawa Morobu around 1673, is a captivating woodblock-printed book (sumizuri-e) from Japan's Edo period. Measuring 27.3 × 19.1 cm, this monochrome masterpiece exemplifies early ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated fleeting pleasures like beauty, theater, and urban life. Moronobu, often hailed as the first great ukiyo-e master, populated its pages with elegant courtesans and revelers, offering visitors a vivid glimpse into 17th-century Tokyo's vibrant Yoshiwara pleasure district. Printed in single-color ink (sumi) on paper, sumizuri-e was a revolutionary technique for its time, enabling affordable mass production and wide dissemination of art. Moronobu's fluid lines and dynamic compositions brought unprecedented realism and sensuality to printed books, bridging painting traditions with popular culture. This work marks a pivotal shift toward commercial illustration, influencing generations of artists who later introduced full-color nishiki-e prints. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, *Pleasure with the Beauties of Japan* invites us to savor the cultural allure of Edo-era Japan—where art mirrored society's indulgences and refined tastes. A true pioneer, it reminds us how woodblock printing democratized beauty for everyday audiences.

About the Artist

Hishikawa Moronobu

Hishikawa Moronobu (1618–1694) holds an unassailable position in Japanese art history as the founder of ukiyo-e, the 'pictures of the floating world' that would become Japan's most internationally recognized art form. Born in the provincial town of Yasuda during the early Edo period, Moronobu transformed woodblock printing from a purely utilitarian craft into an independent artistic medium, establ...