# Snails

**Nagasawa Rosetsu** (Japanese, 1754–1799)  
c. 1788–89  
Hanging scroll; ink, color, and metallic pigments on paper  
Image: 114.3 x 40.6 cm (45 x 16 in.); Overall: 200.7 x 54 cm (79 x 21 1/4 in.)

Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1998.5. [The museum's record](https://clevelandart.org/art/1998.5).

## About this work

In this work, Nagasawa Rosetsu carefully described two snails in a manner known as “earth painting” ( doro-e ), building up colors mixed with crushed white shells in emulation of the thick brushstrokes of oil paint seen in European painting. A silvery metallic pigment indicates the snails’ trails, glistening along an earthen wall. Notably, one trail has no snail, leaving the viewer to guess why.

_Text from the Cleveland Museum of Art._

Nagasawa Rosetsu painted this in about 1788–89, aged about 29. It is now at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

### How it was made

- **Hanging scroll.** A painting mounted on silk with a wooden roller at the foot. It was rolled up for storage and brought out to hang for a season, a guest or an occasion.
- **Ink on paper.** Ink made from soot and animal glue, ground with water on an inkstone. A single brush can give a hair-fine line or a broad wash, and nothing can be corrected.

### [Nagasawa Rosetsu](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/nagasawa-rosetsu)

Japanese, 1754–1799

## Facts

- Type: Painting
- Culture: Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
- The artist was about 29
- Real size: about 79 × 21 in (201 × 54 cm). The original is larger than our largest print, 18 × 24 in, so every print is a reduction.
- Century: 18th century
- Colour: brown
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/756.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/756/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/snails-cma-160688).