A princess traveling with her attendants descends from a palanquin
c. 1801/04
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban triptych
Dimensions
74.9 × 37.5 cm (29 1/2 × 14 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
57299
Art Historical Context
In this vibrant color woodblock print triptych, Utagawa Toyokuni I masterfully depicts a princess gracefully descending from a palanquin— a luxurious, enclosed litter carried by attendants—surrounded by her elegant entourage. Created around 1801–1804 Japan's Edo period, the oban-sized work (74.9 × 37.5 cm) unfolds across three sheets, allowing Toyokuni to capture the procession's grandeur and intricate details of kimonos, hairstyles, and postures in a dynamic, panoramic scene. Toyokuni I (1769–1825), a leading figure in the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, was renowned fo...
About the Artist
Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835
Japanese, 1777–1835