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The Floating World

Japanese woodblock prints of the floating world: actors, courtesans, landscapes and the sea.

172 works · hang 2318 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. Kanagawa, Inland Sea: Top of the Street, by Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797–1858
    Kanagawa, Inland Sea: Top of the StreetUtagawa Hiroshige, 1797–1858Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Net Fishing at Night on the Sumida River, by Kitagawa Utamaro, c. 1800
    Net Fishing at Night on the Sumida RiverKitagawa Utamaro, c. 1800Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. “Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei), by Kitagawa Utamaro, 1790
    “Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei)Kitagawa Utamaro, 1790Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A work made of hand-colored woodblock print; vertical oban diptych, sumizuri-e.
    The Actor Onoe Kikugoro I holding a puppet of the Actor Sanogawa Ichimatsu IIshikawa Toyonobu, c. 1740sCourtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; oban triptych.
    Eight Modern Views of Famous Places in Tokyo of Great Japan (Dai Nippon Tokyo kaika meisho hakkei no zu)Utagawa Kunisada II (Kunimasa III, Toyokuni IV), 1875Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, south wall

  1. France (furansukoku), by Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865
    France (furansukoku)Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Fudō Myōō Threatening a Novice, by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1885
    Fudō Myōō Threatening a NoviceTsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1885Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. Kametani Jujiro as the Shirabyoshi Dancer Yuya, by Torii Kiyomitsu, c. early 1760s
    Kametani Jujiro as the Shirabyoshi Dancer YuyaTorii Kiyomitsu, c. early 1760sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. A work made of hand-colored woodblock print; toku-oban, urushi-e.
    Courtesan Reading a LetterIshikawa Toyonobu, c. 1745Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Cherry Shell, from the series Genroku Poetry Shell Games, by Katsushika Hokusai, probably 1821
    Cherry Shell, from the series Genroku Poetry Shell GamesKatsushika Hokusai, probably 1821Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. Cherry Blossoms in the Wind, by Utagawa Toyokuni, late 1790s
    Cherry Blossoms in the WindUtagawa Toyokuni, late 1790sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (Mino no Yōrō no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri), by Katsushika Hokusai, ca. 1832
    Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (Mino no Yōrō no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)Katsushika Hokusai, ca. 1832Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; surimono.
    A Pine Tree and CamelliasNiwa Tokei, 1840Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; uchiwa-e.
    Iwai Kumesaburo II as the Courtesan Takao in Banzei Okuni KabukiUtagawa Kunisada, c. 1827Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 4, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; oban triptych.
    Young man and his party crossing a stream before Mt. FujiKitagawa Utamaro, c. 1798/1800Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of color woodblock print.
    Actor Onoe Matsusuke I as Retired Emperor SutokuKatsukawa Shunkо̄, About 1780Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago