Drie vissen 1775 - 1824

Masayoshi created this print, Drie Vissen, in the late 18th or early 19th century. As a student of the renowned printmaker Maruyama Okyo, Masayoshi worked within a tradition that valued direct observation from nature, blending it with Japanese and Chinese artistic conventions. This print is an example of "ukiyo-e," or "pictures of the floating world." The naturalistic depiction of the fish is coupled with calligraphy that seems to float above the images. The fish, rendered with careful attention to their scales and form, suggest a study of the natural world. In contrast, the poetic inscriptions reflect a cultural appreciation for combining visual and literary arts. While seemingly a straightforward depiction of sea life, consider how gender and class might be subtly interwoven. Who had access to leisure and education to appreciate such refined imagery? How do traditional forms coexist with an impulse to develop new perspectives? Reflect on how Masayoshi's Drie Vissen invites us to find beauty and meaning in the everyday.