2-725-823 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Child Reaching for a Fishbowl, c. mid 1720s. This early hand-coloured print is enriched with a technique called urushi-e (literally "lacquer picture"), in which glue is painted over areas of black pigment, producing a lustrous surface reminiscent of lacquer. Metal filings sprinkled onto the designs of parasols, a fan, and musical instruments on the woman’s kimono enhance the sense of luxury. The characters appearing in black on her garment say "going around the pure path." Along with the festive motifs, this phrase suggests she is at a Buddhist temple festival that includes a special route for venerating a kami, or Japanese deity, associated with a nearby Shinto shrine. Even today, a popular game for children at festivals is catching goldfish.