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Catching Fireflies
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Catching Fireflies

Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, c. 1754–1806), artist · c. 1796–97 · Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

Caught up in a frenzied pursuit of fireflies, one boy has waded into a stream after his quarry, while a younger one watches in anticipation as a young woman thrusts her fan into the air in the hope of capturing hers. In the center of the composition, a girl examines the insects trapped in her elegantly carved cage.

Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
Credit lineCatching Fireflies, c. 1796–97. Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, c. 1754–1806). Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper; overall: 38.2 x 76.8 cm (15 1/16 x 30 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Jeptha H. Wade in honor of Emily V. Wade, 1975.98
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