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Hakurai taizo no zu|View of the Large Imported Elephant

Taguchi (Utagawa) Yoshimori

1863

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Cityscape Elephant

Dominant colour

Hakurai taizo no zu|View of the Large Imported Elephant is a 1863 ink by Taguchi (Utagawa) Yoshimori, a Impressionism work, depicting Elephant, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Taguchi (Utagawa) Yoshimori
When & what style?: 1863 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

A man in a checkered skirt and dark coat stands next to a massive elephant. The elephant fills most of the image, its skin textured with thick lines. The man holds a small object in one hand and points with the other. The background is simple—a wooden fence and a blue sign with Japanese writing. This print was made to show something rare at the time: a large elephant. The artist used bold colors and strong outlines to make it stand out. Look up elephant next to see how these animals were treated in art and history.