Ochre Editions
SearchSign inCart (0)

The Floating World

Japanese woodblock prints of the floating world: actors, courtesans, landscapes and the sea.

172 works · hang 1200 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono.
    Distant View of Mount Fuji at Dawn from HakoneUtagawa Kuniyoshi, c. 1828/30Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. The Monkey Bridge, by Katsushika Taito II, early 1830s
    The Monkey BridgeKatsushika Taito II, early 1830sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1795
    Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a CherryKitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1795Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; oban.
    The Plum Orchard at Kamata (Kamata no umezono), from the series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)"Utagawa Hiroshige, 1857Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. “Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei), by Kitagawa Utamaro, 1790
    “Hour of the Rat: Mistress,” from the series Women’s Daily Customs (Fuzoku bijin tokei)Kitagawa Utamaro, 1790Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A Courtesan, by Kitagawa Utamaro
    A CourtesanKitagawa UtamaroCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; oban.
    The actor Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Osan, Ippei’s elder sisterTōshūsai Sharaku, 1794Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; hosoban.
    Actor Nakamura Nakazô I as Osada no Tarô in The Genji Clan Now at Its Zenith (Ima o sakari suehiro Genji)Katsukawa Shunshō, About 1768Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; chuban.
    Flower ArrangingKitao Shigemasa, c. 1769Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, north wall

  1. French Woman and Girl, from the series Foreign Merchants in Yokohama (Yokohama shōka ijin no zu), by Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1st month, 1861
    French Woman and Girl, from the series Foreign Merchants in Yokohama (Yokohama shōka ijin no zu)Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, 1st month, 1861Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; ōban.
    Catching FirefliesEishosai Choki, c.1790sCourtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A Girl Writing a Letter, by Suzuki Harunobu, 18th century
    A Girl Writing a LetterSuzuki Harunobu, 18th centuryCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. Cherry Blossoms in the Wind, by Utagawa Toyokuni, late 1790s
    Cherry Blossoms in the WindUtagawa Toyokuni, late 1790sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Courtesans at Leisure from the series The Six Immortal Poets, by Katsukawa Shunzan, early 1780s
    Courtesans at Leisure from the series The Six Immortal PoetsKatsukawa Shunzan, early 1780sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. Leftmost Print from Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River beneath Shin-Ōhashi Bridge, by Chôbunsai Eishi, c. 1792
    Leftmost Print from Pleasure Boats on the Sumida River beneath Shin-Ōhashi BridgeChôbunsai Eishi, c. 1792Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Books and Cards, by Reisai, 18th–19th century
    Books and CardsReisai, 18th–19th centuryCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art