Shibata ZeshinJapanese, 1807–1891White Mice
May one see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “White Mice” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Capitalizing on the delicate ink tonalities of traditional ink painting, Zeshin created this woodblock print composition of white mice. Mice have long been emblematic of fertility in Japan, and white mice were considered especially auspicious. In Japanese folklore, Daikokuten, the god of agriculture, employs white mice as his messengers. In commemoration of the Year of the Rat in the Asian astrological calendar, artists created the images featuring white mice. It is likely that Zeshin was commissioned to produce this image for such an occasion.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Particulars
- Accession number
- 74.1.289
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — public domain
![The Four Accomplishments [left of a pair], Shibata Zeshin, second half 19th century](https://img.artsmia.org/web_objects_cache/118000/400/50/118456/mia_8004065_800.jpg)
![The Four Accomplishments [right of a pair], Shibata Zeshin, second half 19th century](https://img.artsmia.org/web_objects_cache/118000/400/50/118455/mia_8004072_800.jpg)
