The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

A Low Tide Pentaptych

c. 1830

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

(Japanese, 1797–1861)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Pentaptych of color woodblock prints
Each: 21.2 x 18.4 cm (8 3/8 x 7 1/4 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.1108
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

A pentaptych is a composition of five parts.

Description

Five surimono 刷物, privately commissioned prints known literally as "printed things," make up this image of women collecting sea life at low tide. Ten poems written by members of a poetry salon appear across the upper part of the composition. All but one contain the words "low tide," with the remaining poem describing abalone as a sought-after jewel.
  • ?–1916
    Mr. Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857–1926] and Mrs. Ellen Garretson Wade [1859–1917], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1916–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Highlights of Japanese Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 7, 2025-June 14, 2026).
    Later Japanese Art Gallery Rotation (Gallery 113). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (July 13-November 17, 2004).
    Later Japanese Art Gallery Rotation (Gallery 113). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (August 25-December 2, 2003).
  • {{cite web|title=A Low Tide Pentaptych|url=false|author=Utagawa Kuniyoshi|year=c. 1830|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1108