銀世界|The Silver World (Gin sekai)
preface dated 1790
Medium
Polychrome woodblock printed book; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
10 1/16 x 7 1/2 in. (25.5 x 19 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Accession Number
JIB89
Tags
Art Historical Context
### The Silver World (Gin sekai) Step into the enchanting wintry realm of *The Silver World* (Gin sekai), arome woodblock printed book by the renowned Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro in1790, during the Edo period (161–1868). Utamaro, a master ofkiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated everyday beauty and fleeting moments—produced this illustrated volume using ink and color on paper. Measuring a compact 10 1/16 x 7 1/2 inches, it exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of woodblock printing, where intricate carved blocks were inked in multiple colors and precisely overlaid ...
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) was one of the most celebrated masters of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, revolutionizing the art of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. Born Kitagawa Ichitaro, his early life remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts placing his birth in Kyoto, Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo (modern Tokyo), or Kawagoe in Musashi Province. Under the t...