Untitled

Utagawa Toyokuni I|Wakasaya Yoichi

ca. 1800 · Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

For military reasons, the Tokugawa government prohibited the building of substantial bridges across the Ōi River near Kanaya station, presently in Shizuoka Prefecture; thus, the river was a dangerous obstacle for travelers. Here, women of lower classes are shown being carried across the river on the shoulders of porters, while high-ranking ladies are seated in a lacquered palanquin that rests upon the porters' shoulders. Utagawa Toyokuni is given credit for leading the Utagawa school to dominance of the late ukiyo-e tradition.

Artist

Utagawa Toyokuni I|Wakasaya Yoichi

Date

ca. 1800

Medium

Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1914