The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 9, 2026

A horizontally oriented woodblock print triptych depicts nine figures with light skin tones on a riverbank at night. To the left, a massive wooden bridge spans a dark river dotted with boats. In the foreground, women in patterned kimonos stroll; one child holds a lantern while another grasps a woman's hand. On the far right, a woman sits on a bench. Thin streaks indicate fireworks rising into the sky. Japanese calligraphy columns appear throughout.

Enjoying the Evening Cool Along the Sumida River

c. 1797–98

Kitagawa Utamaro

(Japanese, c. 1754–1806)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Overall: 37.5 x 25.3 cm (14 3/4 x 9 15/16 in.)
The Fanny Tewksbury King Collection 1956.753
Location: Not on view

Description

People crowding the Ryōgoku Bridge over the Sumida River and those aboard party boats below enjoy summer fireworks. Among a group gathered on the riverbank a little boy stands holding his caged pet cricket in one hand, and a young woman’s hand in the other. At left, a boy with a lantern advertising the name of the restaurant for which he works, “Ōnoshi,” guides two women away.
  • ?–1921
    Jacquin Collection, Paris, France
    January 20, 1921
    (Walpole Galleries, New York, NY, January 20, 1921 sale, lot 115)
    1921–56
    Fanny Tewksbury King [1867–1949], Cleveland, OH, sold by her estate to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1956–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Japanese Gallery 235 Rotation - January-July 2017. The Cleveland Museum of Art (January 9-July 10, 2017).
    Japanese Woodblock Prints: Themes and Techniques. The Cleveland Museum of Art Education Department, Cleveland, OH (1980).
  • {{cite web|title=Enjoying the Evening Cool Along the Sumida River|url=false|author=Kitagawa Utamaro|year=c. 1797–98|access-date=09 October 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1956.753