魚づくし|Medetai Fush and Sasaki Bamboo, from the series Uozukushi (Every Variety of Fish)
1844
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1844
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This print shows a bright red fish with a big eye and a bold tail fin. Around it are tall, dark green bamboo leaves and thin branches. The background is mostly blank, letting the fish and plants stand out. The fish looks almost too perfect—its scales are smooth, and its colors pop. The artist used simple lines to show texture, like tiny strokes for the fish’s fins. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with lines.
