Woodblock Print: Ukiyo-e, A Tea Party by Toyokuni II

The ukiyo-e is a style of painting during the Edo Period (1603-1868) that depicted a wide variety of topics, such as daily life, natural landscapes, and mythical creatures. The artist of this particular triptych ukiyo-e is Toyokuni II, who lived from 1777-1835. His life is one of mystery with numerous different names and an unclear connection to his master Toyokuni I. Research suggests Toyokuni II specialized in bijin-ga, a type of ukiyo-e focused on portraits or scenes of women. This triptych is one of his bijin-ga, and it portrays a scene from the story The Tale of Genji. This particular part of the triptych depicts a character, likely Genji, at a tea ceremony as a guest. In the ceremony, the character demonstrates either the inspection of the chawan or the drinking of the tea section. The artist’s signature in the bottom right reads, “Kokuteisha Toyokuni-ga.”

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Toyokuni ii (toyoshige) | the art of Japan. Accessed December 6, 2024.
https://theartofjapan.com/artist/toyokuni-ii-toyoshige.

Utagawa Toyoshige (歌川豊重 Toyokuni ii) | british museum. Available at:
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