鳥居清長画 大川端の夕涼み|Enjoying the Evening Cool on the Banks of the Sumida River
ca. 1784
Medium
Diptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
A: H. 15 in. (38.1 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm) B: H. 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm); W. 9 15/16 in. (25.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1734
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Torii Kiyon's *Enjoying the Evening Cool on Banks of the Sumida* (ca. 1784) captures a serene summer moment along Tokyo's iconic waterway. This diptychtwo meticulously printed sheets forming a single panoramic scene—depicts elegant women lounging with fans, savoring the refreshing breeze. Kiyonaga, a ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") master from the Torii school, excelled in bijin-ga, or images of beautiful women, blending everyday leisure with idealized grace. Printed as nishiki-e, or "brocade pictures," using intricate woodblock...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815
Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...