Various Moths and Butterflies 19th century

This print, Various Moths and Butterflies, was made by Kubo Shunman in Japan, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Shunman was a versatile artist, part of a creative milieu that circulated poems and images of this kind. Japanese art of this period was shaped by the country’s unique social hierarchies. Shunman was born into the samurai class but trained as an artist. He became known for Ukiyo-e prints and paintings, and he specialized in images of beautiful women and actor portraits. We can analyze how the visual codes and cultural references create meaning in the image. The print combines an elegant rendering of nature with calligraphic inscriptions. The study of insects was a flourishing scientific field in the Edo period, and the visual arts reflected a growing interest in naturalism and a culture of scientific observation. To truly understand Shunman’s work, research into the cultural and institutional contexts of Japanese art production in this period is necessary. Shunman's work reflected the shifting artistic and cultural tastes of his time.