Who painted Hototogisu?

Hototogisu was painted by Kubo Shunman in 1810.

Where can I see Hototogisu?

Hototogisu is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Hototogisu?

Hototogisu is associated with Ukiyo-e.

Artwork

Hototogisu

Kubo Shunman , 1810

Hototogisu is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Kubo Shunman. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

The composition features a solitary bird captured in the act of flight, set against a light, almost washed‑out background.

Hototogisu, a painted work dated to 1810, is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The composition features a solitary bird captured in the act of flight, set against a light, almost washed‑out background. A luminous moon hovers above, casting a subtle glow that isolates the figure. The paper’s perimeter is framed by a dark border decorated with repeating motifs in gold, blue and white.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is a night‑cuckoo, a bird traditionally associated with the arrival of spring and the fleeting nature of time in Japanese symbolism. Its outstretched wings and fanned tail convey a moment of swift movement, while the moon’s presence suggests nocturnal activity and perhaps a contemplative mood, inviting viewers to consider transience and the quiet drama of night.

Technique & Style

Kubo Shunman employs restrained line work and delicate gradations of tone to suggest motion without heavy detailing. The bird’s form is rendered through thin, confident strokes, while soft shading imparts a sense of volume. The luminous moon is treated almost as a spotlight, its brightness achieved through minimal pigment and careful use of negative space, characteristic of Edo‑period ukiyo‑e aesthetics.

History & Provenance

Created in the early nineteenth century, the painting reflects Shunman’s mature period when he was active as a painter and printmaker in Edo. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through a later acquisition, though the precise chain of ownership prior to its museum entry is not extensively documented in public records.

Context

The work belongs to a broader tradition of Japanese bird-and-flower paintings that celebrated natural subjects with poetic nuance. During the Edo era, such images often appeared in books, scrolls, and decorative objects, serving both as artistic expression and as carriers of cultural symbolism related to seasons and literary allusion.