Utagawa Toyoharu: A winter party (18th-19th century)

(Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., USA)

A painting made by the Japanese artist Utagawa Toyoharu (1735-1814). Utagawa Toyoharu was specialized in contemporary scenes of Edo (the former name of Tokyo). This piece shows a party of two men and three women entertaining themselves. The entertainers on the left and right are holding a shamisen, a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument). The man on the right gives a red lacquer cup with sake (rice wine) to the entertainer on his right. 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. the man on the left is 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 a tray holding lacquer and ceramic dishes and containers of food. Behind the young man is a charcoal brazier holding an iron cooking pot. Painting from the 18th-19th century.