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Pleasure Boat on the Sumida River
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After a major fire in Edo (now Tokyo), the Yoshiwara licensed brothel district was relocated to an area accessed via boat along the Sumida River, giving rise to many compositions depicting travel there. Here, attendants with checkered robes serve refreshment to a client. A figure at the fore of the boat tends to the kitchen. A courtesan at the aft, or rear, surveys the river scene. Acquaintances converse in modest commuter boats, and fishers put in to a tiny island. The boat is near the entrance to the San’ya Canal, where pleasure-seekers would disembark.
| Artist / Maker | Teisai Hokuba |
|---|---|
| Date | 1800s |
| Culture / Origin | Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) |
| Medium | Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk |
| Dimensions | Overall: 153.3 x 76.2 cm (60 3/8 x 30 in.); Painting only: 40 x 55.3 cm (15 3/4 x 21 3/4 in.) |
| Department | Japanese Art |
| Type | Painting |
About the Artist
Teisai Hokuba (Japanese, 1771–1844) Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
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