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The Floating World

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

172 works · hang 7310 ·

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

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. “Hanamurasaki of the Tamaya,” from the series Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō Nana Komachi), by Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1790
    “Hanamurasaki of the Tamaya,” from the series Seven Komachi of the Pleasure Quarters (Seirō Nana Komachi)Kitagawa Utamaro, ca. 1790Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; ōban.
    Awa Province: Naruto Whirlpools (Awa, Naruto no fūha), from the series Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces (Rokujūyoshmeisho zue)Utagawa Hiroshige, 1855Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. View of Futami Beach at Ise, by Shōtei Hokuju, ca. 1810–1820
    View of Futami Beach at IseShōtei Hokuju, ca. 1810–1820Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print with metallic pigments; surimono shikishiban.
    Woman About to Write a PoemYashima Gakutei, c. 1824Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; chūban.
    Searching for FirefliesSuzuki Harunobu, 1768Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Paper Doll Clothing, 1897–98
    Paper Doll ClothingUnrecorded Japanese maker, 1897–98Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, south wall

  1. The Actor Morita Kanya VIII as Tatsugorō, by Katsukawa Shun'ei, 1794 (Kansei 6)
    The Actor Morita Kanya VIII as TatsugorōKatsukawa Shun'ei, 1794 (Kansei 6)Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. 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
  3. Illustration of a Balloon Ascending (Fūsen shōyō no zu), by Utagawa Yoshitora, November, 1872
    Illustration of a Balloon Ascending (Fūsen shōyō no zu)Utagawa Yoshitora, November, 1872Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, north wall

  1. A work made of color woodblock print; vertical oban diptych.
    Image of a Japanese Woman (Fujo Yamato sugata)Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III), c. 1830/35Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Lovers Walking in the Snow (Crow and Heron), by Suzuki Harunobu, 1764–72
    Lovers Walking in the Snow (Crow and Heron)Suzuki Harunobu, 1764–72Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of color woodblock print; oban.
    Fireworks at Ryōgoku (Ryōgoku hanabi), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)Utagawa Hiroshige, 1858Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, north wall

  1. Anekawa Daisuke as Ayame-no-mae, by Torii Kiyomitsu, 1760
    Anekawa Daisuke as Ayame-no-maeTorii Kiyomitsu, 1760Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of color woodblock print; surimono.
    PeoniesKitagawa Utamaro, n.d.Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, south wall

  1. Tobacco Pouch and Pipe, by Kubo Shunman, 1813
    Tobacco Pouch and PipeKubo Shunman, 1813Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. Children Playing in the Snow under Plum Trees in Bloom (Secchū baisō gunji yūgi zu), by Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu, November 1887
    Children Playing in the Snow under Plum Trees in Bloom (Secchū baisō gunji yūgi zu)Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu, November 1887Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art