Two Lovers Crossing a River
late 18th century
Medium
Polychrome woodblock pillar print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 26 3/4 x 4 9/16 in. (67.9 x 11.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
JP1126
Tags
Art Historical Context
Torii Kiyonaga's *Two Lovers Crossing a River*, a captivating polychrome woodblock pillar from late 18th-century Japan, exemplifies the vibrant ukiyo-e tradition of the Edo period (1615–1868). Created with ink and color on paper, this tall, narrow format—measuring 26 3/4 x 4 9/16 inches—was designed for mounting on architectural pillars in homes, blending art seamlessly into everyday life. Kiyonaga, a master of the Torii school, was renowned for his elegant depictions of graceful figures, particularly beautiful women (bijin-ga), rendered with fluid lines and subtle color gradients achieved thr...
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...