A Winding Stream Party (Kyokusui no en)
Edo period
Medium
Color woodblock print; nishiki-e
Dimensions
38.2 × 76.5 cm (15 × 30 1/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36668
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), Utagawa Toyuni I (1769–1825) captures the of a *kyokusui no en*—a "winding stream party"— this stunning *nishiki-e* wood print. Measuring an impressive 38.2 × 76.5 cm, the diptych unfolds a festive riverside gathering where guests recline on tatami mats, awaiting sake cups that float along a meandering stream. Revelers compose poetry as the cups drift by, evoking ancient Chinese traditions adapted into Japanese aristocratic pastime, blending refinement with playful intoxication. Toyokuni, a master of the Utagawa school and ukiyo-e ("pictur...
About the Artist
Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835
Japanese, 1777–1835