Picture of the Temporary Lodgings of the New Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarter at Ryōgoku
Original title: Picture of the Temporary Lodgings of the New Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarter at Ryōgoku (Shin Yoshiwara Karitaku Ryogoku no zu)
kurzbeschreibung
Figures in traditional Japanese dress fill the interior of a building in Utamaro's 1784 woodblock print, which takes us into the temporary quarters to which the Yoshiwara pleasure district had been moved in Ryōgoku. Issued as a print in ink and colour on paper, it offers a glimpse of the activity inside these dwellings.
Description
A few figures stand together in the foreground, turned toward one another, while others have settled nearby to eat and chat. The view opens onto a further room where more people, likewise in traditional robes, are gathered. Lanterns hang from the ceiling in a row, spreading warm light over everything. Earth tones dominate the palette, with red and white providing accents.
Context
Edo, today's Tokyo, was home to the Yoshiwara, the city's best-known pleasure district. When a fire broke out in 1784, the quarter moved temporarily to Ryōgoku, and that relocation supplied the subject of this print. Utamaro became known for his images of women and for scenes of life in the pleasure districts. The emergency lodgings were later abandoned, and the district returned to its old site.
Impact
Without becoming intrusive, the print brings the everyday life of the quarter into the present. The warm light and the relaxed postures of the figures give the image something approachable, almost familiar. Architecture and garments are rendered with great care, revealing the close observation behind the woodcut.
Technique
The sheet was produced as a woodcut: ink and colours were transferred to paper. The execution looks clear and precise, with sharp contours and closed areas of colour that make both figures and surroundings stand out distinctly. The building's wooden beams and lanterns gain additional weight from the way the print is made.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)