Swimming Turtles
Woodblock Print
ca. 1840-1842 (made)
ca. 1840-1842 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
There is a definite playfulnesss about the rendering of a pair of swimming turtles in this uchiwa-e, or rigid fan print, design by Hiroshige. Blue, an appropriately cool colour for the summer months, is predominant, while turtles, believed to live for 10,000 years, are symbolic of longevity and good fortune. The ribmarks visible on the surface of the print are evidence that it was salvaged from a made-up fan. Their contribution to the overall sense of composition suggests that Hiroshige anticipated their effect when creating the design.
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Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Swimming Turtles (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour print from woodblocks |
| Brief description | Woodblock print, Utagawa Hiroshige I; Swimming Turtles; fan print, Japanese, ca. 1840-1842 |
| Physical description | Fan print, aiban size. Artist signature: Hiroshige hitsu. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Webb Bequest |
| Summary | There is a definite playfulnesss about the rendering of a pair of swimming turtles in this uchiwa-e, or rigid fan print, design by Hiroshige. Blue, an appropriately cool colour for the summer months, is predominant, while turtles, believed to live for 10,000 years, are symbolic of longevity and good fortune. The ribmarks visible on the surface of the print are evidence that it was salvaged from a made-up fan. Their contribution to the overall sense of composition suggests that Hiroshige anticipated their effect when creating the design. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.4836-1919 |
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| Record created | February 12, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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