Avond wandeling langs de rivier 1860 - 1862

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print titled "Evening Stroll by the River," sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It depicts a stylish woman in Japan, enjoying the cherry blossoms by the river. Prints like this one were produced and consumed within a rapidly changing urban culture. The floating world of pleasure districts and the demimonde was a common theme. Kunisada was a leading designer of ukiyo-e prints. His works often captured the latest fashions and trends, making him a celebrity of his time. The floating world was enabled by a burgeoning publishing industry, which relied on sophisticated carving and printing techniques. It was a commercial culture of mass-produced imagery. This print reflects the cultural values of the time and the social conditions that enabled its production. The historian can study such prints to trace the emergence of modern forms of consumer culture in 19th-century Japan.