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The Floating World

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

172 works · hang 2803 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A View of the Large New Room at Sakurai, by Utagawa Kunisada, early or mid 1830s
    A View of the Large New Room at SakuraiUtagawa Kunisada, early or mid 1830sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. 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
  3. Segawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga", by Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794
    Segawa Tomisaburō II as Yadorigi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A work made of hand-colored woodblock print; tan-e, vertical o-oban.
    Courtesan WalkingKaigetsudo Anchi, c. 1714Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of woodblock print in black ink and watercolor on cream japanese paper.
    The Priest Kobo Daishi at the Tama River in Kii Province from the series The Six Tama RiversTorii Kiyomasu, c. 1725-1735Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A View of the Large New Room at Sakurai, by Utagawa Kunisada, early or mid 1830s
    A View of the Large New Room at SakuraiUtagawa Kunisada, early or mid 1830sCourtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 2, south wall

  1. Women Beside a Stream Chasing Fireflies, by Chôbunsai Eishi, c. 1796–97
    Women Beside a Stream Chasing FirefliesChôbunsai Eishi, c. 1796–97Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; chuban.
    Two Young Women Playing Cat's CradleIsoda Koryusai, c. 1769Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Collection of Desires, Wish for Foreign Travel (Mitate Tai zukushi-yōkō ga shitai), by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, January, 1878
    Collection of Desires, Wish for Foreign Travel (Mitate Tai zukushi-yōkō ga shitai)Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, January, 1878Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. Young Woman Looking at a Pot of Pinks, by Suzuki Harunobu, c. 1767
    Young Woman Looking at a Pot of PinksSuzuki Harunobu, c. 1767Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Jihei of Kamiya Eloping with the Geisha Koharu of Kinokuniya, from the series “True Feelings Compared: The Founts of Love” (Jitsu kurabe iro no Minakami), by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1798–99
    Jihei of Kamiya Eloping with the Geisha Koharu of Kinokuniya, from the series “True Feelings Compared: The Founts of Love” (Jitsu kurabe iro no Minakami)Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1798–99Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; oban.
    Three Beauties of Our Time (Tosei san bijin)Chokosai Eisho, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, north wall

  1. England (Igirisukoku), by Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865
    England (Igirisukoku)Utagawa Yoshitora, 2nd month, 1865Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), or The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei), by Katsushika Hokusai, ca. 1830–32
    Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), or The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)Katsushika Hokusai, ca. 1830–32Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. 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
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; surimono.
    Three Types of ChrysanthemumsKitao Shigemasa, c. 1790Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago