Sode ga ura, the Bay of Sleeves
Utagawa Toyokuni I
Description
An important innovation in print designs of the 1780s had been Torii Kiyonaga’s introduction of outdoor settings for his "beautiful women." Here Toyokuni is once again working in Kiyonaga’s mode; the difference with Kiyonaga’s Takanawa print of a decade earlier (1960/1.143) shows how much Edo print artists had learned about representing three-dimensional space in the interim. The new sophistication may be attributed in part to the influence of European prints, filtered through many intermediaries.
The seaside was the outdoor summer playground of Edo: there were dozens of public beaches within a half-day’s walk of the city. Then as now, vendors set up wood-and-bamboo stalls to hawk savories such as roasted squid, or sweets made from red bean paste. In this panoramic view of Sode ga ura (the "Bay of Sleeves," an inlet of Tokyo Bay), the foreground is filled with well-attired tourists, returning from a day at the shore. They carry a full array of seasonal paraphernalia: a sun parasol, fans, and toys as souvenirs for the children.
M. Graybill
"Courtesans, Cross-Dressers, and the Girl Next Door Images of the Feminine in Japanese Popular Prints"
3/9 - 9/1/02
Subject Matter:
The Label Copy details most of the subject matter.
Physical Description:
The full print depicts 12 individuals split into three separate distinct groups (a triptych). One man and three women comprise the leftmost first group. Two women and the man look to the left while one woman in the front left looks towards the right. There is one inscription in this third located on the right edge. Just to the left and below are two seals. The background shows boats in a bay-like body of water and a stone wall.
Usage Rights:
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