歌川義虎画 『外国人遊興之図』|Foreigners Enjoying a Party (Gaikokujin yūkyō no zu)
1st month, 1861
Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image (a): 14 3/8 x 10 in. (36.5 x 25.4 cm) Image (b): 14 1/4 x 19 1/4 in. (36.2 x 48.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of William S. Lieberman, 2005
Accession Number
2007.49.200a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Foreigners Enjoying a PartyGaikokujin yūkyō no zu)**, a vibrant woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitora from the first month of 1861, captures a lively scene of Westerners dancing and reveling at a party. Created in the nishiki-e style—meaning "brocade pictures" for their rich, multicolored layers—this ink and color on paper work exemplifies ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" genre popular in Edo-period Japan. Yoshitora, a prolific artist from the renowned Utagawa school, was known for his dynamic depictions of contemporary life, blending sharp lines and bold hues achieved through in...
About the Artist
Utagawa Yoshitora · 1845–1880
Utagawa Yoshitora (歌川 芳虎), also known by his art names Ichimōsai, Mōsai, and Kinchōrō, was a prolific ukiyo-e artist born in Edo (modern Tokyo), where he trained under the renowned Utagawa Kuniyoshi, recognized as his oldest pupil. Little is known of his early life, which remains sparsely documented, but his earliest works include illustrations for the book *Story of Karasu Kanzaemon’s Loyalty* in...