Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1: Duck and Scallions 1810s

"Duck and Scallions," from the *Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū)*, is a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (1799-1823). The print depicts a duck, rendered in delicate shades of blue and white, with its head tucked under its wing. The duck rests upon a bed of green scallions, a detail that lends a sense of stillness and tranquility to the scene. This work is a fine example of *ukiyo-e*, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints that flourished in the Edo period (1603-1868).