The Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

The Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara

Woodblock Print
1850-1852 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Japanese woodblock prints were commercial productions made for popular consumption. They were made by artists, block cutters and printers working independently to the instructions of specialist publishers. Fan prints like this were mounted on rigid bamboo frames and sold in large numbers during Japan's hot and humid summer.

This print depicts a scene from the Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara, the main pleasure quarter in Edo (modern Tokyo). It was a separate district with its own gates and contained numerous teahouses and brothels frequented by wealthy townspeople during their leisure hours.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • The Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara (assigned by artist)
  • Eight Encounters in the Floating World (series title)
Materials and techniques
Colour print from wood blocks, on paper
Dimensions
  • Height: 235mm
  • Width: 298mm
  • Of image height: 234mm
  • Of image width: 291mm
Styles
Object history
Purchased from S. M. Franck & Co., accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Japanese woodblock prints were commercial productions made for popular consumption. They were made by artists, block cutters and printers working independently to the instructions of specialist publishers. Fan prints like this were mounted on rigid bamboo frames and sold in large numbers during Japan's hot and humid summer.

This print depicts a scene from the Niwaka Festival in the Yoshiwara, the main pleasure quarter in Edo (modern Tokyo). It was a separate district with its own gates and contained numerous teahouses and brothels frequented by wealthy townspeople during their leisure hours.
Collection
Accession number
E.12123-1886

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Record createdFebruary 2, 2007
Record URL
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