Sharing an Umbrella - A Set of Three (Aigasa sanpukutsui)

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo Japan, Ishikawa Toyonobu *Sharing an Umbrella - A Set of (Aigasa sanpukutsui)*, created around 1755, captures the playful intimacy of urban life. Toyonobu, a prominent ukiyo-e artist pupil of Nishimura Shaga, specialized in depictions of the "floating world"—scenes of romance, theater, and fleeting pleasures. This uncut hosoban triptych portrays lovers huddled under a shared umbrella, a motif symbolizing tender courtship amid rainy streets, evoking the poetic transience cherished in Japanese culture. Printed as a benizuri-e, or "rose-colored picture," this woodblock print employs an innovative early color technique using just pink (beni) and green pigments over black outlines. Before the full-spectrum nishiki-e prints of later masters like Hiroshige, benizuri-e marked a pivotal evolution in ukiyo-e, making affordable, mass-produced art accessible to commoners. The hosoban format—three narrow sheets (ōban's slimmer cousin) printed together without separation—preserves the panoramic flow at 29.9 × 42.6 cm, highlighting Toyonobu's mastery of composition and subtle shading. Held in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this work exemplifies ukiyo-e's cultural zenith during the Edo period, blending eroticism with everyday elegance. It invites visitors to imagine the patter of rain on washi paper, bridging Japan's artistic heritage with our modern gaze.

About the Artist

Ishikawa Toyonobu · 1711–1785

Japanese, 1711–1785