Floor plan

North wing: East AsiaThe Floating World

The Floating World

“Hanamurasaki of the Tamaya,” from the series Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō Nana Komachi), by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1790
A work made of color woodblock print; chuban.
Ōtsu, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road (Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi, Ōtsu), 1847–52
A work made of color woodblock print; shikishiban surimono.
France (furansukoku), by Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865
A work made of color woodblock print; oban.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

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

Section 1, north wall

  1. “Hanamurasaki of the Tamaya,” from the series Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō Nana Komachi), by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1790
    “Hanamurasaki of the Tamaya,” from the series Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō Nana Komachi)Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1790Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; chuban.
    The Dance of the Shrine Maidens Ohatsu and OnamiSuzuki Harunobu, c. 1769Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Ōtsu, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road (Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi, Ōtsu), 1847–52
    Ōtsu, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road (Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi, Ōtsu)Unrecorded Japanese maker, 1847–52Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; shikishiban surimono.
    Dawn over Mout Fuji and Susaki, from the series "Five Views of Mount Fuji (Fuji goban no uchi)"Utagawa Kuniyoshi, c. 1827/29Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. France (furansukoku), by Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865
    France (furansukoku)Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; oban.
    Irises at Horikiri (Horikiri no hanashobu), from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)"Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; ōban.
    Catching FirefliesEishosai Choki, c.1790sCourtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A Picture of the Viewing in the Pleasure Quarters, by Kikukawa Eizan, 1810s
    A Picture of the Viewing in the Pleasure QuartersKikukawa Eizan, 1810sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; ōban.
    Amida Falls in the Far Reaches of the Kisokaido (Kisoji no oku Amidagataki), from the series "A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)"Katsushika Hokusai, About 1833Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, north wall

  1. Dutch Woman and Child (Seisha ikoku jinbutsu Oranda fujin aijidō no zu), by Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1860
    Dutch Woman and Child (Seisha ikoku jinbutsu Oranda fujin aijidō no zu)Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1860Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Lovers Walking in the Snow (Crow and Heron), by Suzuki Harunobu, 1764–72
    Lovers Walking in the Snow (Crow and Heron)Suzuki Harunobu, 1764–72Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. 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

Section 3, north wall

  1. Segawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga", by Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794
    Segawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Foreigners Enjoying a Party (Gaikokujin yūkyō no zu), by Utagawa Yoshitora, 1st month, 1861
    Foreigners Enjoying a Party (Gaikokujin yūkyō no zu)Utagawa Yoshitora, 1st month, 1861Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. Women Grating Radish for Sashimi, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1798–99
    Women Grating Radish for SashimiKitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1798–99Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Leftmost Print from Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River beneath Shin-Ōhashi Bridge, by Chôbunsai Eishi, c. 1792
    Leftmost Print from Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River beneath Shin-Ōhashi BridgeChôbunsai Eishi, c. 1792Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art