Buying Potted Plants, from the series "A Brocade of Eastern Manners (Fuzoku Azuma no nishiki)"

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo (modern-day Tokyo) with *Buying Potted Plants*, captivating color woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga from his renowned series *A Brocade Eastern Manners (Foku Azuma no niki)*, created around 1783–84. This oban-sized print (39.6 × 26.6 cm) depicts elegant women selecting potted plants at a bustling street market, capturing the everyday grace and social rituals of urban life. Kiyonaga, a leading figure in the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"—excelled in bijin-ga, or images of beautiful women, blending delicate figures with lively street scenes. As a master of the Torii school, Kiyonaga advanced color woodblock printing techniques, layering vibrant hues through precise carving and multiple woodblocks for nuanced shading and depth. This medium democratized art in Japan, making sophisticated visuals affordable to the merchant class during the Edo period's cultural boom. The series itself chronicles contemporary customs, offering a window into seasonal pleasures like flower shopping, which symbolized refinement and fleeting beauty in Japanese aesthetics. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, this print exemplifies ukiyo-e's enduring influence on global art, from Impressionism to modern design. Visitors will delight in its poised figures and atmospheric details, evoking the hum of a bygone marketplace.

About the Artist

Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815

Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...