Morning Glories and Finch by Utagawa Hiroshige

Morning Glories and Finch c. 1830s

print, ink, color-on-paper

quirky illustration

blue ink drawing

childish illustration

print

japan

curved letter used

personal sketchbook

ink

color-on-paper

wedding around the world

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

cartoon carciture

watercolor

"Morning Glories and Finch" is a woodblock print created by renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige around the 1830s. The artwork, a delicate depiction of a single finch perched on a morning glory vine, exemplifies Hiroshige's mastery of capturing natural beauty in a minimalist style. The use of fine lines and vibrant colors brings the simple subject to life, showcasing the artist's keen observation of nature. This piece, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, represents Hiroshige's contribution to the flourishing "ukiyo-e" (pictures of the floating world) movement, known for its portrayal of everyday life and landscapes.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Part of the fascination for flowers among the Japanese during the Edo period (1600-1868) was their newly developed expertise in cultivating hybrid varieties. They created many new strains of morning glories in the 19th century, and publishers were quick to release books illustrating their exotic colors and blossom shapes. The poem that Hiroshige included with this print suggests this proliferation: The morning glories blossom with the sun__with the sun.