Artwork

鳥文斎栄之画「諸鳥十二禽」尾長鳥|A Long-Tailed Fowl (Onagadori), from the series Twelve Assorted Birds (Shochō jūnikin)

鳥文斎栄之画「諸鳥十二禽」尾長鳥|A Long-Tailed Fowl (Onagadori), from the series Twelve Assorted Birds (Shochō jūnikin) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Chôbunsai Eishi. It dates from 1791 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created circa 1791, this woodblock print depicts a long‑tailed fowl, the onagadori, positioned against a simple architectural backdrop.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1791, this woodblock print depicts a long‑tailed fowl, the onagadori, positioned against a simple architectural backdrop.

Created circa 1791, this woodblock print depicts a long‑tailed fowl, the onagadori, positioned against a simple architectural backdrop. The scene includes three figures on a wooden balcony—a woman in a vivid pink kimono holding a fan, a younger girl leaning over the rail, and a seated man observing from within. The bird’s elongated tail arches across the roof, drawing attention to its graceful form.

Subject & Meaning

The composition combines a domestic interior with an element of nature, reflecting the Edo‑period fascination with seasonal birds as symbols of elegance and refinement. The onagadori, prized for its ornamental tail, serves as a visual metaphor for aristocratic taste, while the attendant figures suggest a leisurely, cultured setting typical of upper‑class leisure.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the print employs bold, clean outlines that define the figures and the bird with clarity. A restrained palette of flat hues accentuates the patterned kimono and the bird’s plumage, while the unadorned background eliminates distraction, focusing the viewer’s eye on the interaction between human and avian subjects.

History & Provenance

The work is attributed to Chōbunsai Eishi, a former samurai who left a stipend of 500 koku to pursue a career in ukiyo‑e. A pupil of Kano Eisen’in Michinobu, Eishi is noted for his early bijin‑ga prints of slender women. This piece belongs to his series Twelve Assorted Birds and is presently held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Chôbunsai Eishi

Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…