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Invisible Ink Pictures (Aburidashi-e); wrapper for a small print or set of prints


「あぶりだし絵」 袋
Japanese
Edo period

Medium/Technique Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions 10.7 x 7.3 cm (4 3/16 x 2 7/8 in.)
Credit Line William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Accession Number11.39792
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsPrints

DescriptionProbably from the same set: 11.39792 (wrapper), 11.39793 (print)
Substances such as lemon juice can be used to print letters or pictures in invisible ink, which will be revealed when the paper is gently heated. This small sheet was most likely the front of a larger sheet folded to make a wrapper for the print 11.39793, which shows the magician Tenjiku Tokubei appearing above his giant toad. It is unclear whether the wrapper contained one or several prints.
Signed Unsigned
無款
ProvenanceBy 1911, purchased by William Sturgis Bigelow (b. 1850–d. 1926), Boston [see note 1]; 1911, gift of Bigelow to the MFA. (Accession Date: January 19, 2005)

NOTES:
[1] Much of Bigelow's collection of Asian art was formed during his residence in Japan between 1882 and 1889, although he also made acquisitions in Europe and the United States. Bigelow deposited many of these objects at the MFA in 1890 before donating them to the Museum's collection at later dates.