Collection of Contemporary Dancers: "Yoshiwara Suzume" Dance, By Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period, 18th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 10
September 1, 2015 (Tue) - September 27, 2015 (Sun)
Ukiyo-e, which are depictions of commoners’ lives in the Edo period (1603–1868), originated from genre paintings on, for example, folding screens. Later, a method of woodblock printing was devised and it enabled mass production of ukiyo-e. Following the further refinement of carving and printing techniques, ukiyo-e eventually developed into multicolored nishiki-e prints. This exhibition presents various aspects of ukiyo-e by tracing this development. Works on display include a 17th century genre painting depicted on a folding screen, narrow prints such as hoso-ban and hashira-e, which were early formats of ukiyo-e, and the subsequent nishiki-e prints created at the end of the Edo period.
Current exhibit includes:
Genre Scenes Illustrating Poems of the Four Seasons: Chrysanthemum Month (Ninth month), By Suzuki Harunobu, Edo period, 18th century
Courtesans of the Yoshiwara Pleasure District in Newly-designed Garments: Miyato of Kadotamaya, By Isoda Koryusai, Edo period, 18th century
Collection of Contemporary Dancers: Yoshiwara Suzume, By Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period, 18th century