A Winter Party

Object Details

• Artist

  Utagawa Toyoharu (1735-1814)

• Label

  Because of its beauty, lightness, and durability, lacquer was widely used in Japan for utensils and containers to serve food and drink. In this scene depicting a winter party are a number of red and black lacquer utensils, many of them embellished with gold maki-e (decoration of sprinkled gold or silver powder). To the right, an entertainer holding a shamisen (a stringed instrument played with a plectrum) sips sake (rice wine) from a red lacquer cup held by a wealthy person. Before him is a red lacquer tray holding a black lacquer soup cup with cover and pair of chopsticks probably made of ivory. Beside the tray is his tobacco pouch with the attached netsuke (toggle) which would suspend it from his sash.

  Farther to the left is a young dandy, holding his red lacquer sake cup as he gazes transfixed at the young shamisen player who tunes her instrument. In the foreground are a red lacquer stand and tray holding lacquer and ceramic dishes and containers of food. Behind the young man is a charcoal brazier holding an iron cooking pot. The doors to the veranda are open to a wintry garden scene, a peaceful contrast to the warmth and gaeity within the house.

  Utagawa Toyoharu was an accomplished painter whose work records in detail the contemporary scenes of Edo. In this carefully executed painting he has paid meticulous attention to details of the costumes and setting. A decorative effect is created by the embellishment of contour lines with gold. Toyoharu had a strong interest in European concepts of perspective, and designed some prints of such unusual subjects as the Roman forum.

• Provenance

  To 1900

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1900 [1]

  From 1900 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1900 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1]

  See Original Kakemono List, pg. 51, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Inventing Utamaro: A Japanese Masterpiece Rediscovered (April 8 to July 9, 2017)

  Seasons: Arts of Japan (February 5, 2011 to January 13, 2013)

  Artists of Edo (November 19, 2005 to May 29, 2006)

  Surveying the Collections: Poets and Parties (July 2, 2000 to February 4, 2001)

  Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to August 1, 1994)

  Japanese and Chinese Lacquer (September 22, 1982 to June 30, 1983)

  Japanese Ukiyo-e Painting (May 2, 1973 to July 1, 1974)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 3 and 4 (February 25, 1956 to January 1, 1963)

  Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Art, 1955 (October 25, 1955 to November 22, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Art (October 3, 1947 to February 25, 1956)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1900s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Matsuki, Bunkio

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Rites and ceremonies, Charles Lang Freer collection, Landscapes, Art, Winter, Shamisen, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Men, Japanese Art, Ukiyo-e, Kakemono

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings