The Nightly Boat Outing
1826
Medium
nishikie, with metallic pigments
Dimensions
168; 200
About this artwork
verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228
Art Historical Context
**The Nightly Boat Outing by Totoya Hokkei created in 1826, captures the enchanting spirit of Edo-period Japan through a delicate *nishikie*—a vibrant color woodblock print renowned as a "brocade picture" for its rich, layered hues. Hokkei, a skilled ukiyo-e artist and follower of the master Katsushika Hokusai, specialized in intimate scenes of daily life, landscapes, and festivities. This small vertical print (200mm × 168mm) evokes a moonlit adventure on the water, likely alluding to the "floating world" pleasures of nighttime revelry along Japan's rivers, a popular motif in ukiyo-e that cele...
About the Artist
Totoya Hokkei · 1780–1850
Totoya Hokkei (魚屋 北渓, 1780–1850), born Iwakubo Tatsuyuki in Edo (modern Tokyo), began his life as a humble fishmonger in the Yotsuya Samegahashi district, a trade reflected in his art name "Totoya," meaning fish shop. He transitioned to art through rigorous training, first studying under Kanō Yōsen'in Korenobu, head of the Kobikichō branch of the prestigious Kanō school, where he honed landscape p...