Party on their way to view plum blossoms
c. 1764
Medium
Color woodblock print; benizuri-e
Dimensions
30.5 × 45.1 cm (12 × 17 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36238
Art Historical Context
Torii Kiyomitsu I's *Party on Their Way to View Plum Blossoms* (c. 1764) captures the vibrant social life of Edo-period Japan (1603–1868) through the lens of ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated fleeting pleasures. As a leading figure in the Torii school Kiyomitsu specialized in graceful depictions of beautiful women (bijin-ga) and kabuki actors, blending dynamic compositions with elegant figural poses. This woodblock print shows a lively group of women—likely courtesans or townsfolk—journeying to admire early-spring plum blossoms, a cherished hanami tradition symboliz...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomitsu I · 1735–1785
Japanese, 1735–1785