CC0 · no rights reserved
Cherry Blossoms in the Wind
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Highly regarded for his images of actors, Toyokuni was also known for his prints of beauties that demonstrate his brilliant skill in composition. This triptych depicts a joyful hanami (flower viewing) scene in spring. One woman stands on a huge wine bottle, while another one sits on a samurai’s shoulder; in both scenes, the women are tying prayers or poems on tree branches. On the left, two servants protect a well-dressed lady from the wind. Their fluttering, long-sleeved kimonos capture the wind’s movement. Standing in a triad, the three groups form a stable, harmonic composition against the cherry blossom background.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineCherry Blossoms in the Wind, late 1790s. Utagawa Toyokuni (Japanese, 1769–1825). Woodblock print, ink and color on paper; overall: 38.7 x 80 cm (15 1/4 x 31 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Jeptha H. Wade in honor of Emily V. Wade, 1975.97.a
Similar works
Onoe Shōroku I as the Ghost of the Shirabyōshi Hanako Standing over Osagawa Shichizō II as Tsumagi, Maid Servant to Sakurahime, in Uruō-ōgi Sumizome no Sakura
Parody of an Imperial Carriage Scene
Battledore and shuttlecock
"Ta": Purification Ceremony to Remove the Pains of Love, from the series "Tales of Ise in Fashionable Brocade Pictures (Furyu nishiki-e Ise monogatari)"
Cherry Blossoms in the Wind
Two Women Playing Shuttlecock