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Catching Fireflies by Kitagawa Utamaro — VisualArtsDB

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Catching Fireflies

Catching Fireflies

Catching Fireflies

Kitagawa Utamaro

1796–1797

Medium: Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Overall: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.)
Genre: Print
Museum: Cleveland Museum of Art

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Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

About

Caught up in a frenzied pursuit of fireflies, one boy has waded into a stream after his quarry, while a younger one watches in anticipation as a young woman thrusts her fan into the air in the hope of capturing hers. In the center of the composition, a girl examines the insects trapped in her elegantly carved cage.

More by Kitagawa Utamaro

Reflective Love, from the series "Anthology of Poems: The Love Section (Kasen koi no bu) (Mono-omou koi)"

Reflective Love, from the series "Anthology of Poems: The Love Section (Kasen koi no bu) (Mono-omou koi)"

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1788

The Courtesan Hisui of the Fan House (Ogiya uchi Hisui), from the series The Five Festivals Flower Competition (Gosechi hana awase)

The Courtesan Hisui of the Fan House (Ogiya uchi Hisui), from the series The Five Festivals Flower Competition (Gosechi hana awase)

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1789

Yoshiwara Women Looking into the Street at Springtime

Yoshiwara Women Looking into the Street at Springtime

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1753

Child's nightmare of ghosts

Child's nightmare of ghosts

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1795

Fishing at Iwaya on Enoshima

Fishing at Iwaya on Enoshima

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1790

Musashi Province from the series Fashionable Six Jewel Rivers (Furyu Mu Tamagawa)

Musashi Province from the series Fashionable Six Jewel Rivers (Furyu Mu Tamagawa)

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1795

Hour of the Monkey [4pm] (Saru no koku), from the series “The Twelve Hours in Yoshiwara” ("Seiro juni toki tsuzuki")

Hour of the Monkey [4pm] (Saru no koku), from the series “The Twelve Hours in Yoshiwara” ("Seiro juni toki tsuzuki")

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1789

The Colors of Spring (Haru no iro) 春の色

The Colors of Spring (Haru no iro) 春の色

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1794

Hour of the Hare [6am] (U no koku), from the series “The Twelve Hours in Yoshiwara” ("Seiro juni toki tsuzuki")

Hour of the Hare [6am] (U no koku), from the series “The Twelve Hours in Yoshiwara” ("Seiro juni toki tsuzuki")

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1789

Courtesan Akashi of the Tamaya, kamuro Uraji and Shimano, from the series Seven Komachis of Yoshiwara (Seirō nana Komachi)

Courtesan Akashi of the Tamaya, kamuro Uraji and Shimano, from the series Seven Komachis of Yoshiwara (Seirō nana Komachi)

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1791

The Outer Robe

The Outer Robe

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1785

Tomimoto Toyohina, from the series "Famous Beauties of Edo (Edo komei bijin)"

Tomimoto Toyohina, from the series "Famous Beauties of Edo (Edo komei bijin)"

Kitagawa Utamaro, 1788