drawing, print, paper, ink, woodblock-print
drawing
book
asian-art
ukiyo-e
paper
ink
woodblock-print
Dimensions: 1/4 x 6 x 8 3/8 in. (0.7 x 15.3 x 21.2 cm)
Copyright: Public Domain
This is a page from "-Picture Book- Children of the East-" by Utagawa Toyohiro, created sometime before his death in 1828. Toyohiro lived in a time of social and economic transformation in Japan, with significant shifts in urban culture. The text, dense and meticulously rendered, offers a window into the daily lives and landscapes of people living in the cities. The emotional resonance lies in its ability to transport us to a bygone era. It is a time when the boundaries between the elite and the commoners were often blurred in the floating world of pleasure quarters and entertainment districts. Utagawa Toyohiro doesn't just document; he curates a narrative that reflects the collective identity and shared experiences of a community. What we see here aren't just words, but echoes of a society in transition. It embodies a unique chapter in Japanese cultural history, inviting viewers to explore the intricate relationship between identity, place, and societal change.
Comments
A prolific designer of single-sheet prints, Utagawa Toyohiro also produced many books. He provided the illustrations for a number of bestselling novels, as well as the images of several picture books, like this one. For this book, one of a two-volume set, Toyohiro depicted twelve celebrations associated with specific temples or shrines in the city of Edo. The event depicted here is Shōga-ichi or the Ginger Fair at the Shinmei Shrine, located in the southern part of Edo. In September, the shrine hosts a fair in which townspeople sell their special, locally grown ginger, ginger-flavored candy and the like. Visitors also purchase chigi, tiered cylindrical boxes made at the shrine that were believed to have talismanic powers.
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