View of Nihonbashi Tori-itchome (Nihonbashi Tori-itchome Ryakuzu), No. 44 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Utagawa Hiroshige
Asian Art
It is a hot summer day in the middle of the Main Street of Edo in the bustling Nihonbashi district, and almost everyone hides under a hat or a parasol, intent on avoiding the sun. Under a huge two-tiered parasol is a group of dancers who performed celebratory shrine dances for donations. Called Sumiyoshi dancers because of their origin as seasonal minstrels from Sumiyoshi Shrine near the city of Osaka, they had evolved by Hiroshige's time into native Edo street performers. Following them is a different sort of street minstrel, from the outcast hinin class. Such women sang songs accompanied by the samisen, a lute-like instrument, and were always escorted at a distance by a husband or a father.
MEDIUM
Woodblock print
DATES
8th month of 1858
PERIOD
Edo Period, Ansei Era
DIMENSIONS
14 3/16 x 9 3/8in. (36 x 23.8cm)
Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 7/16 in. (36 x 23.9 cm)
Image: 13 1/4 x 8 7/8 in. (33.7 x 22.5 cm) (show scale)
MARKINGS
No publisher's seal visible, probably lost when left margin was trimmed.
SIGNATURE
Hiroshige-ga
COLLECTIONS
Asian Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
30.1478.44
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Anna Ferris
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1930, provenance not yet documented; by 1930, acquired by Anna Ferris of Summit, NJ; 1930, gift of Anna Ferris to the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
This scene is in the middle of the main street in Edo, on a hot summer day; most of the people are under hats or parasols to escape the sun. The older man on the right is eating a yellow Makuwa melon and beyond him to the left, a delivery boy is almost hidden by his tray load of noodle boxes from the sboa shop Tokyoan (the white noren in center). A group of Sumiyoshi dancers are under a huge two-tiered parasol. Originally, the Sumiyoshi dancers were seasonal minstrels from Sumiyoshi Shrine, near Osaka, who would perform celebratory shrine dances in return for donations. The five dancers here are wearing their costumes of straw materials, red aprons, white fans and sedge hats, topped by the blue parasol with red shashes and white "gohei." Following the dancers is a female street minstrel, the "onna-dayu," who along with others would sing to shamisen accompaniment. The onna-dayu were from the outcast "hinin" class and were always followed at a distance by a husband or father. It was suggested by Miyao Shigeo that this woman following the Sumiyoshi dancers might be their samisen accompanist. The street scene here is the cotton sellers district, occupied by merchants from the Omi region. The Sumiyoshi dancers were traditionally dressed in cotton; the onna-dayu were prohibited by class barriers from wearing silk but were known for their stylish cotton kimonos, as seen here, closely fitted and wearing high "geta" clogs. The large store to the right is Shirokaya, founded in 1662 and one of Tokyo's great modern department stores, now part of a Tokyo chain.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858). View of Nihonbashi Tori-itchome (Nihonbashi Tori-itchome Ryakuzu), No. 44 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 8th month of 1858. Woodblock print, 14 3/16 x 9 3/8in. (36 x 23.8cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.44 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.44_PS20.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 30.1478.44_PS20.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2023
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
No known copyright restrictions
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