The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 22, 2025

Portrait of Kinokuniya Bunzaemon

early 1800s

attributed to Utagawa Toyokuni

(Japanese, 1769–1825)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Overall: 136.6 x 31.5 cm (53 3/4 x 12 3/8 in.); Within painted borders: 89 x 27.3 cm (35 1/16 x 10 3/4 in.)
The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith 1985.276
Location: Not on view

Description

Kinokuniya Bunzaemon was one of Edo’s first millionaire merchants. He made his fortune selling lumber, a lucrative and expanding business in Edo that was often ravaged by fire. Well known for his extravagance, he entertained lavishly and was a generous patron of the theater. He was said once to have set gold and lacquer cups afloat on the Sumida River to amuse people downstream. This painting may be an imaginary portrait, as Kinokuniya Bunzaemon died in 1734—35 years before the artist Toyokuni was born.

A patron of the entertainment district and a gourmand, Kinokuniya probably enjoys a New Year’s meal including sushi served on blue-and-white porcelain. The square, tiered box was typically used for serving food for the New Year.
  • Kabursgi Kiyokata [1878–1972]
    (Mathias Komor, New York, NY, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Kelvin Smith)
    1985–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • “Checklist of the Kelvin Smith Bequest.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 75, no. 7 (September 1988): 292–295. Mentioned: p. 294 www.jstor.org
    Jenkins, Donald. “Paintings of the Floating World.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 75, no. 7 (September 1988): 244–260, 262–278, 238. Mentioned: p. 278, no. 26; Reproduced: p. 260, fig. 13 www.jstor.org
  • Visions of Japan: Prints and Paintings from Cleveland Collections. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 12, 2004-April 10, 2005).
    A Private World: Japanese and Chinese Art from the Kelvin Smith Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 14-November 13, 1988).
  • {{cite web|title=Portrait of Kinokuniya Bunzaemon|url=false|author=Utagawa Toyokuni|year=early 1800s|access-date=22 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.276