{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121393"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121393/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GF7376/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GF7376/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GF7376","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BB4575","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121393/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121393","accessionNumber":"E.4374-1897","objectType":"Woodblock print","titles":[{"title":"A cat watching butterflies","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"A cat stares intently at two butterflies in this charming Japanese print, which displays a number of interesting techniques. The cat's contours have been skilfully rendered in <i>katazuri</i>, or embossing. Most of the print has been executed in a technique known as <i>musenzuri</i>, whereby the usual black outlines are left out.\r\n\r\nSuzuki Harunobu was a printmaker and painter of the Edo period (1615–1868) and a seminal figure in the history of Japanese art. His most accomplished prints date to the last five years of his life and utilise new developments in the production of polychrome prints from multiple woodblocks. By carving registration marks (<i>kentô</i>) on the block and using them to align the paper, artists were no longer limited in the number of blocks they could use to produce a single print. Such prints are called <i>nishiki-e</i> (‘brocade pictures’) after the magnificent brocades produced in the Nishijin district of Kyoto.","physicalDescription":"Woodblock print. Chūban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). Cat by plant seated on ground looking up at two butterflies in the air. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Suzuki Harunobu","id":"A7011"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"attributed"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Woodblock print","id":"x38448"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodblock print on paper, with embossing","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2013GF7376","2006BB4575"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES394040"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Woodblock print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1765-70","earliest":"1760-01-01","latest":"1770-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"20.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased from E. Parsons & Sons, accessioned in 1897. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Woodblock print, 'A cat watching butterflies' attributed to Suzuki Harunobu (1724-1770), Japan, ca. 1765-70.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ukiyoe: Il Mondo Fluttuante (2004), pp.171"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: The European Collections: Ukiyoe from the Victoria and Albert Museum (1991), p.56 and 139"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.4374-1897"],"accessionNumberNum":"4374","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1897,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-27","availableToBook":true}}