Open full image Pin

Child Reaching for a Fishbowl

Nishimura Shigenaga

1724

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque 18th Century

Dominant colour

Child Reaching for a Fishbowl is a 1724 by Nishimura Shigenaga, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Nishimura Shigenaga
When & what style?: 1724 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A child in a red kimono stretches toward a fishbowl on a low table. The bowl sits on gold brocade fabric. Water inside swirls with tiny black fish. This is an urushi-e print. Glue coats parts of the black ink, making them shine like lacquer. Tiny metal flakes on the woman’s kimono catch the light. Look for more Edo-period prints at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The story of this work

Overview

This early hand-colored print is enriched with a technique called urushi-e (literally “lacquer picture”), in which glue is painted over areas of black pigment, producing a lustrous surface reminiscent of lacquer. Metal filings sprinkled onto the designs of parasols, a fan, and musical instruments on the woman’s kimono enhance the sense of luxury.

Read the full account in the museum source.