Joriken riding his sword across water, section of a sheet from an untitled harimaze series
Medium
Color woodblock print; section of harimaze sheet
Dimensions
16.8 × 10.2 cm (6 9/16 × 4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
34593
Art Historical Context
This vibrant woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada I (also known as Toyokuni III) dates to 1858 and captures a dynamic moment from Japanese legend. The small sheet, measuring just 16.8 × 10.2 cm, shows the figure Joriken balancing on his sword as it glides across water. Created as one section of an untitled harimaze series, the design was originally printed alongside other images on a single sheet, allowing viewers to cut and rearrange the pieces for albums or decorative use. Kunisada, one of the most prolific ukiyo-e artists of the late Edo period, brought theatrical energy and bold color to e...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864
Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...