Carp

Maker(s)
Artist: Katsushika Taito II 葛飾載斗二世 (active 1810-1853)
Historical period(s)
Edo period, ca. 1840s
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (image): 35.7 x 16.7 cm (14 1/16 x 6 9/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Gift of John Fuegi and Jo Francis
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1998.315
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
carp, Edo period (1615 - 1868), fish, Japan, stream, ukiyo-e
Provenance

To 1998
Dr. John Fuegi. [1]

From 1998
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Dr. John Fuegi. [2]

Notes:

[1] See Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920, Collections Management Office.

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Dr. John Fuegi

Label

Taito II was born in Edo to a samurai family from Kyushu. He became a pupil and occasional artistic collaborator of Hokusai, who had used the artistic name Taito before passing it on to Taito II in 1820. The influence of Hokusai's bold and innovative paintings of natural subjects can be seen in this print of a carp leaping from a flowing stream. Swirls of blue form a striking abstract pattern that is printed over the carp's tail to indicate that it is submerged.

Published References
  • Fish and Waves: An Artistic Masterwork by Tiffany Studios. New York, New York. p. 20.
  • Dreaming in Glass: Masterworks by Tiffany Studios. New York, New York. p.76.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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