Fireworks at Ryogoku Bridge
Woodblock Print
1820-1825 (made)
1820-1825 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
People gather to watch fireworks on a summer evening. They wear simply- patterned kimono permitted by the sumptuary laws. These edicts banned expensive red dye, but there was no restriction on using the colour for undergarments or linings. One woman is lifting the hem of her kimono to seductively reveal the red underneath. Wearing the coveted colour in this way became very fashionable, a fleeting glimpse being deemed more sensuous than an overt display.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Fireworks at Ryogoku Bridge (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Woodblock print on paper |
| Brief description | Woodblock print hexaptych, 'Fireworks at Ryogoku Bridge' by Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825), Japan, Edo (Tokyo), 1820-1825 |
| Physical description | Woodblock print hexaptych. Six sheets. Nishiki-e (full-colour print). Crowds watching a firework display at Ryogoku Bridge in Edo (Tokyo). |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Acquisition method and source not identified in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | People gather to watch fireworks on a summer evening. They wear simply- patterned kimono permitted by the sumptuary laws. These edicts banned expensive red dye, but there was no restriction on using the colour for undergarments or linings. One woman is lifting the hem of her kimono to seductively reveal the red underneath. Wearing the coveted colour in this way became very fashionable, a fleeting glimpse being deemed more sensuous than an overt display. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.4900:1, 2-1886 |
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| Record created | August 1, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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