The Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons
Kitagawa Utamaro Japanese
Not on view
Utamaro portrays a moment in which life in a townsman's home is enlivened and refreshed by a sudden change in the weather. The father rushes to close the outer doors against the rain, while family members dive under a raised mosquito net, which was believed to offer protection from the thunder spirits.
Utamaro, a prolific ukiyo-e artist, was fascinated by themes of daily life as well as by beautiful women.
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