Artwork Page for Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

Details / Information for Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

c. 1796–97

Kitagawa Utamaro 喜多川 歌麿

(Japanese, c. 1754–1806)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
triptych: color woodblock print
Measurements
Sheet: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Jeptha H. Wade in honor of Emily V. Wade 1975.98.a
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

A sense of movement is conveyed by their sleeves fluttering in the breeze.

Description

Caught up in a frenzied pursuit of fireflies, one boy has waded into a stream after his quarry, while a younger one watches in anticipation as a young woman thrusts her fan into the air in the hope of capturing hers. In the center of the composition, a girl examines the insects trapped in her elegantly carved cage.
A vertically oriented print depicts three figures with light skin tones beside a rippling stream. At upper left, a woman in a pink patterned kimono looks right. In the center, a woman in a tan floral robe leans forward, extending a fan over the water. At bottom right, a figure in a short brown robe reaches into the stream. Reeds line the banks beneath a dark sky, and Japanese calligraphy appears on the right.

Catching Fireflies Beneath a Willow Tree (right)

c. 1796–97

Kitagawa Utamaro

(Japanese, c. 1754–1806)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork