Print

Art Historical Context

This delicate woodblock print, titled *Print*, was created by Yashima Gutei around 1830 during Japan's Edo period (16151868). Gakute, a master of the Osaka school of ukiyo-e, an intimate scene of women washing amid a misty waterfall, blending everyday life with the serene beauty of nature. The—Women, Waterfalls, Washinghighlight this harmonious depiction of labor and landscape, evoking the quiet poetry of rural Japan. As a *surimono*, or privately commissioned print, it exemplifies luxurious woodblock techniques reserved for elite patrons, often for New Year's greetings or poetry albums. Ink and color on paper bring vibrant hues and subtle gradients to life, with precise carving capturing the water's flow and fabrics' texture. Measuring just 8¼ x 6¾ inches, its intimate scale invites close viewing, revealing Gakutei's skill in composition and subtle embellishments like mica or embossing common in *surimono*. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection (Rogers Fund, 1921), this work reflects Edo-era fascination with *bijin-ga* (beautiful women) and nature's rhythms, offering a window into a fading world before Japan's modernization. A gem for admirers of Japanese printmaking!

About the Artist

Yashima Gakutei · 1786–1868

Yashima Gakutei (c. 1786–1868), born in Osaka as the illegitimate son of a Tokugawa shogunate samurai named Hirata, adopted the name from his mother's subsequent marriage into the Yashima clan. Little is documented about his early years beyond these familial ties, but he pursued artistic training under the esteemed ukiyo-e masters Totoya Hokkei and Katsushika Hokusai, absorbing their precision in ...