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The Floating World

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

172 works · hang 79 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; chuban.
    Two Young Women Playing Cat's CradleIsoda Koryusai, c. 1769Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Russians Enjoying a Holiday in Yokohama (Yokohama kyūjitsu Roshiajin yūkō), by Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1861
    Russians Enjoying a Holiday in Yokohama (Yokohama kyūjitsu Roshiajin yūkō)Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1861Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; uchiwa-e, aizuri-e.
    Mount Fuji Rising beyond Miho BeachUtagawa Hiroshige, c. 1838/42Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 1, south wall

  1. A color woodblock print of a large crashing wave, looms over two narrow boats full of people. Mt Fuji in the background. There is a faint peach colored sky.
    Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjurokkei)"Katsushika Hokusai, 1830/33Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Bandō Mitsugorō III as Daihanji Kiyozumi and Arashi Koroku IV as Koganosuke, by Shunkōsai Hokushū, 1821
    Bandō Mitsugorō III as Daihanji Kiyozumi and Arashi Koroku IV as KoganosukeShunkōsai Hokushū, 1821Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. 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 2, south wall

  1. Anekawa Daisuke as Ayame-no-mae, by Torii Kiyomitsu, 1760
    Anekawa Daisuke as Ayame-no-maeTorii Kiyomitsu, 1760Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; surimono.
    PeoniesKitagawa Utamaro, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Women Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Asukayama, by Katsukawa Shunchô, 1780s
    Women Viewing Cherry Blossoms at AsukayamaKatsukawa Shunchô, 1780sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. Two Girls on a Veranda beside a Stream with the Moon, by Suzuki Harunobu
    Two Girls on a Veranda beside a Stream with the MoonSuzuki HarunobuCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. 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

Section 3, north wall

  1. A Picture by Hishikawa Moronobu: Woman with a Set of Poem Cards, by Totoya Hokkei, mid 1820s
    A Picture by Hishikawa Moronobu: Woman with a Set of Poem CardsTotoya Hokkei, mid 1820sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. 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
  3. A work made of woodblock print, ink and colors on paper.
    Kanagawa in Musashi Province: Distant View of Yokohama (Yokohama enbo), from the series Calligraphy and Pictures for the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Shoga gojusan eki)Utagawa Yoshimori, 1982Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, south wall

  1. 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
  2. The Gossips, by Suzuki Harunobu, ca. 1767
    The GossipsSuzuki Harunobu, ca. 1767Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art