Shunjo gidan mizuage cho
Medium
Woodblock printed books, three volumes
Dimensions
Book: 22.2 cm x 16 cm; Double page: 22.1 x 28.3
Classification
book
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
215375
Art Historical Context
**Shunjo Gidan Mizuage Cho** is a captivating three-volume woodblock-printed created in 1836 by Utagawa Kunisada I (also known as Toyokuni), one of the most prolific masters of Japan's ukiyo-e tradition. Produced during the late Edo period, this work exemplifies the "floating world" genre, which celebrated the pleasures and ephemeral beauty of urban life in Edo (modern Tokyo). Kunisada, a leading figure in the Utagawa school, was renowned for his vibrant depictions of kabuki actors, beautiful women (bijin-ga), and scenes from the Yoshiwara pleasure district, blending exquisite draftsmanship wi...
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...