Pleasure Boat on the Sumida River

隅田川舟遊び図

1800s

Teisai Hokuba 蹄斎北馬

(Japanese, 1771–1844)

Culture

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Measurements

Overall: 153.3 x 76.2 cm (60 3/8 x 30 in.); Painting only: 40 x 55.3 cm (15 3/4 x 21 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith 1985.262

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Location

Not on view

Description

After a major fire in Edo (now Tokyo), the Yoshiwara licensed brothel district was relocated to an area accessed via boat along the Sumida River, giving rise to many compositions depicting travel there. Here, attendants with checkered robes serve refreshment to a client. A figure at the fore of the boat tends to the kitchen. A courtesan at the aft, or rear, surveys the river scene. Acquaintances converse in modest commuter boats, and fishers put in to a tiny island. The boat is near the entrance to the San’ya Canal, where pleasure-seekers would disembark.