Dreaming of Walking near Fuji

Object Details

• Artist

  Isoda Koryusai 磯田湖竜斎 (1735-1790)

• Label

  Dreams about Mount Fuji, a falcon, and eggplants were thought to be auspicious beginnings for the New Year. The "first dream" (hatsuyume) is shown in a balloon emanating from the hearts of the young lovers who have fallen asleep over a board for playing suguroku, a game similar to backgammon. This print was the frontispiece for an album of erotic images (shunga) that were profitable for publishers but were likely to attract unwanted attention from the Tokugawa shogun's government officials who were charged with enforcing moral standards. Covers for sets of erotic prints were more discreet than the contents, and the artists and publishers did not identify themselves by name. The artist Koryvsai began as a pupil of Harunobu, whose elegant style is apparent in this print made just after Harunobu's death. Later prints by Koryvsai establish a distinct personal style.

• Collection

  National Museum of Asian Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection (September 15, 2002 to January 9, 2003)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  The Anne van Biema Collection

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Isoda, Koryusai

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Sleeping, Mount Fuji, Dreaming, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Anne van Biema collection, Ukiyo-e, Shikishiban

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints