Open full image Pin

『画本虫撰』「蝸牛」「轡虫」|Land Snail (Katatsumuri); Giant Katydid (Kutsuwamushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)

Kitagawa Utamaro

1788

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism Ukiyo-e 18th Century Still Life Insect Snail

Dominant colour

『画本虫撰』「蝸牛」「轡虫」|Land Snail (Katatsumuri); Giant Katydid (Kutsuwamushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami) is a 1788 ink by Kitagawa Utamaro, a Romanticism work, depicting Insect, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Kitagawa Utamaro
When & what style?: 1788 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This image is a page from a woodblock-printed book, featuring two illustrations. The left side shows a large, dark brown, striped insect with long antennae and wings, perched on a leafy branch with a round, yellow fruit. The right side has Japanese text in the upper right corner, with a few leaves and a snail shell at the bottom. The illustration style is detailed, with visible lines and textures. The use of color is muted, with shades of brown, green, and yellow. The overall effect is one of quiet observation, as if the artist is studying the natural world. The artist, Kitagawa Utamaro, is known for his detailed and realistic depictions of nature.