{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O71693"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71693/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MB0612/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MB0612/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MB0612","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV9472","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EK4671","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Akama Project","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EK4670","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Akama Project","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EK4669","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Akama Project","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT7143","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O71693/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O71693","accessionNumber":"E.12642-1886","objectType":"Woodblock print","titles":[{"title":" Party in an Upstairs Room","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"In an upstairs room, a group of women gather for a party. Three of the women, the two standing and the one playing the shamisen (stringed instrument), are young as can be seen from their furisode (long, ‘swinging’ sleeve) kimono and extravagant hair styles. They seem to be entertainers rather than simply guests. The woman standing at the head of the stairs wears a striking kimono, shaded in purple and bearing a design of yellow bamboo growing up from the hem. This is combined with a colourful obi with roundels, possibly of dragons and phoenixes (hōō birds), and an under-kimono of shibori-dyed hemp leaves. The other two wear black kimono with plum blossom and ivy motifs respectively, paired with orange obi. Three of the other women – at the far right, the centre and leaning over the staircase – are married as revealed by their looped hairstyles and shaved eyebrows. Dishes of food have been served and the woman on the right, in the grey kimono, uses a toothpick while listening to the shamisen player. In her other hand she holds a brocade purse. On the far left, the second woman of the trio wears a black, grey and white striped kimono and converses with a woman on the stairs, probably a servant, who is fetching fresh tea. The nature of the party is somewhat ambiguous. The two women in the centre – a servant in a green kimono with small-scale pattern, plain black obi, and striped apron, and the third and most elaborately dressed of the married women, who wears a kimono with cascading water and plum blossom under an obi of swirling and fret motifs – appear to be engaged in more intimate pleasures than their companions. ","physicalDescription":"Woodblock print triptych. Three sheets in ōban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). The scene shows eight woman in an upstairs room enjoying food and music. Three oban size sheets. Signature: Toyokuni ga. Publisher: Yamamotoya Heikichi. Censorship seal: kiwame","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Utagawa Toyokuni","id":"A2432"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Yamamotoya Heikichi","id":"A8042"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"AAT25574"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Woodblock print","id":"x38448"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Colour woodblock print","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2019MB0612","2006AV9472","2010EK4671","2010EK4670","2010EK4669","2017JT7143"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES396497"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Woodblock print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1825","earliest":"1820-01-01","latest":"1829-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"36.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"75.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased from S. M. Franck & Co., accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Woodblock print, Party in an Upstairs Room, Utagawa Toyokuni, Japan, ca. 1825","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk","id":"AUTH407397"},"details":"Jackson, Anna (editor), London: V&A Publications, 2020","free":"\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.12642-1886"],"accessionNumberNum":"12642","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1886,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-09","recordCreationDate":"2002-12-08","availableToBook":true}}