Mole Cricket (Kera); Earwig, (Hasami-mushi), from the Picture Book of Crawling Creatures (Ehon mushi erami)
Kitagawa Utamaro Japanese
Not on view
Ehon mushi erami (Picture Book of Crawling Creatures) is illustrated with fifteen designs of insects and other garden creatures by Utamaro. Published by Tsutaya Jūzaburō , the poems were selected and introduced by a preface written by the poet and scholar Yadoya no Meshimori (Rokujuen; 1753–1830), who later became head of the influential Go-gawa poetry group. Several of the top kyōka poets of the day were invited to contribute.