Cooling Off on a River Platform

Catalog note / 解説

Utagawa Toyokuni I studied under Utagawa Toyoharu, the founder of the Utagawa School of ukiyo-e. Although he is known primarily for his Kabuki-actor prints, he first specialized in bijinga (pictures of beautiful women) reminiscent of Utamaro and Kiyonaga. This print depicts a summer river scene. Since Toyokuni failed to provide an inscription indicating the scene, and building riverside platforms to enjoy the cool temperatures along the water was a common practice, it is difficult to identify the location precisely. On the left side, several women try to catch fish in the river, while on the right, a man is being offered sake. The striking design of wave patterns in the background unites th…