Ono no Tofu and the Frog c. 1758
toriikiyohiro
comic strip sketch
old engraving style
junji ito style
cartoon sketch
personal sketchbook
ink drawing experimentation
pen-ink sketch
sketchbook drawing
storyboard and sketchbook work
cartoon carciture
This ukiyo-e woodblock print, "Ono no Tofu and the Frog," by Torii Kiyohiro, depicts a woman holding a parasol and a frog in a lush landscape with a willow tree. The print showcases Kiyohiro's talent for depicting detailed clothing and a subtle sense of movement in the woman's figure. The delicate lines and muted colors create a charming and serene atmosphere. Kiyohiro, a prominent artist of the mid-18th century, specialized in depicting beautiful women in everyday scenes. This print, created around 1758, is a testament to his refined aesthetic and mastery of the ukiyo-e style, which flourished during this period in Edo, Japan.
Comments
Brooding about whether to give up his career as a court calligrapher, Ono no Tofu sees a frog trying to jump onto a willow branch. After many failed attempts, the frog finally succeeds. This perseverance inspires the later very famous calligrapher to never to give up. This early two-colour print in pink and green dates from just before the invention of the multi-colour print in Japan.
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