Veerboot op de rivier de Sumida

About this artwork

kleurenhoutsnede; lijnblok in zwart met kleurblokken

Art Historical Context

Torii Kiyonaga's *Veerboot op de rivier Sumida* (Ferryboat on the Sum River), created between 1785 and1789, captures a serene moment on one of Edo's (modern-day Tokyo's) most vital waterways. As a master of ukiyo-e—the "pictures of the floating world"—Kiyonaga specialized in depicting everyday life, beautiful women, and urban scenes with graceful elegance. This color woodcut portrays passengers aboard a ferry, evoking the bustling rhythm of 18th-century Japan, where the Sumida River served as a lifeline for trade, travel, and leisure. The print exemplifies the sophisticated woodblock printing...

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...