Three Young Women Strolling on the Bank of the Sumida River
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 15 1/16 in. (38.3 cm); W. 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1712
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Torii Kiyon's *Three Young Women Strolling on Bank of the Sumida* captures the essence ofkiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world that celebrated everyday pleasures and urban life. This woodblock print rendered in ink and color on paper, showcases Kiyonaga's mastery of bijin-ga—images of elegant women. Measuring about 15 by 10 inches, it three graceful figures promenading along the famed Sumida River in Edo (modern Tokyo), their kimonos flowing and fans in hand, evoking a serene moment of leisure amid the bustling city. Kiyonaga, a lead...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815
Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...