This work depicts Uoei, an illustrated book wholesaler dealing in nishikie (colored woodblock prints), which had a shop in what is now Ueno Hirokoji during the late Edo period. It is a gorgeous work depicting only women as "merchants" of the four classes: samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants. The large letters "Azuma Nishikie" are dyed on the shop curtain in front of the store, proving that nishikie was a popular Edo specialty. Looking inside

the store, there are paintings of actors and landscapes lined up, and on the left wall there is an advertisement for One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. Uoei was a very popular illustrated book wholesaler, publishing many nishikie prints by famous artists such as Utagawa Hiroshige, Hiroshige II, and Toyokuni III, the artist of this work.

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), who created this ukiyo-e, was born in 1786 to a lumber wholesaler in Honjo, Edo. His distinctive portraits of beautiful women made him an instant hit. Furthermore, his actor paintings were highly acclaimed, and he was considered to have surpassed even his master, Utagawa Toyokuni I. He also had a strong desire to create art, and is said to have left behind the most works of any ukiyo-e artist of his time, with over 10,000 pieces.

Japanese Design National Treasure of Japan

Focusing on the artists of the Edo period, when Japanese culture and arts further expanded, this exhibition recreates the works of these masters on the canvas of an aloha shirt, bringing to life in the present day the passion that went into Japan's world-famous designs. This series, which began as a collaboration with the works of Katsushika Hokusai, is now taking on the next stage with the addition of new artists.
©️Tokyo National Museum

Made in Japan