Sōnan (Chinnen) Picture Album (Sōnan gafu 楚南画譜) 1834

"Sōnan (Chinnen) Picture Album (Sōnan gafu 楚南画譜)" is a collection of drawings created by Onishi Chinnen in 1834. The album is a collection of illustrations, and this page shows several turtles in various poses: one reaching towards a lotus leaf, a few swimming, and two engaged in a combat with bows. Chinnen, a prolific artist of the Edo Period, was well-known for his unique style of depicting the natural world. The album, a fine example of the *surimono* genre of Japanese woodblock prints, reflects the artist's fascination with the details of everyday life.