{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O71740"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71740/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BV8933/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BV8933/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BV8933","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GG5519","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GG5811","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GG5396","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AL3649","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT7145","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O71740/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O71740","accessionNumber":"E.2124-1899","objectType":"Woodblock print","titles":[{"title":"First Play of Musical Instruments in the New Year [Shikizome no zu]","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Woodblock prints such as this were produced in large numbers in 18th- and 19th-century Japan. Images were generally printed on paper of a standard size. Here three such sheets have been used to create a larger picture. Woodblock prints are sometimes called <i>ukiyo-e</i>, which means 'pictures of the floating world'. This world was that of the pleasure district with its brothels, theatres and teahouses.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>This print depicts the courtesan Takao holding a celebration to display her new bedclothes. Takao is shown in the centre with her guest Sawamura Gennosuke I, one of the most popular actors of his day. On the right a young courtesan and attendant wrap congratulatory money in paper and another actor, Iwai Kiyotaro, drinks sake. Two geisha provide musical entertainment and an attendant brings in stacked boxes of noodles.<br><br><b>Materials & Making</b><br>The production of Japanese woodblock prints was a group activity orchestrated by a specialist publisher, in this case one of the most famous, Tsutaya Juzaburo. He commissioned the artist, Kitagawa Tsukimaro, to produce a sketch. A detailed drawing based on this sketch was given to a block cutter, who created one block for the black outline of the image and further blocks for each of the colours to be used. These were passed to a printer. Pigments applied to the blocks were printed on to sheets of paper by rubbing from behind with a flat round disc known as a baren. About 200 copies of a design were printed at a time.","physicalDescription":"Woodblock print triptych. Three sheets in ōban format, nishiki-e (full-colour print). Figures in interior setting. Signed Kaimei  Tsukimaro hitsu.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Tsukimaro, Kitagawa","id":"A8930"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"J–zaburo, Tsutaya","id":"A8565"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"woodblock print","id":"x38448"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodblock print on paper","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2008BV8933","2013GG5519","2013GG5811","2013GG5396","2006AL3649","2017JT7145"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES396496"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Woodblock print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Edo","id":"x32430"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"Circa 1804","earliest":"1799-01-01","latest":"1808-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unframed","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"76.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unframed","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 21/11/2000 by PaperCons","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8877"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Purchased from Wright and Stansford, accessioned in 1899. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Woodblock print triptych, 'First Play of Musical Instruments in the New Year, The Parlour of the Courtesan Takao from the Miura House' by Kitagawa Tsukimaro (active 1794-1836), Edo (Tokyo), ca.1804","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nWOODBLOCK PRINTS<br>\nJapanese woodblock prints were avidly collected in the late 19th century.  To a Victorian audience they revealed a different world depicted in an entirely new way. The style, composition and subject matter of the prints had a huge influence on artists working in Britain.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["E.2124-1899"],"accessionNumberNum":"2124","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1899,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR2543","2019LP4276","2019LU6497"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-07","recordCreationDate":"2002-12-09","availableToBook":true}}