「三ひらの内」松・牡丹に孔雀|Peacock on Pine Tree and Peonies, from the series Three Sheets (Mihira no uchi)
1814
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1814
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This print shows two birds standing on a rocky ledge. The bird on the left is a peacock with its feathers fanned out, each eye-shaped feather detailed in blue and gold. To the right, a crane-like bird faces left, its wings slightly spread. Behind them, a pine tree and peonies add soft blue and pink shapes to the scene. Japanese writing runs along the top edge. The peacock’s feathers are drawn with tiny lines to create shading, giving them a textured look. This was a common way to add depth in woodblock prints. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to build shadows.
