Fair Travellers Fording the River Oi

Fair Travellers Fording the River Oi

Utagawa Toyokuni I

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

For military reasons, the Tokugawa government prohibited the building of substantial bridges across the Ōi River near Kanaya station, presently in Shizuoka Prefecture; thus, the river was a dangerous obstacle for travelers. Here, women of lower classes are shown being carried across the river on the shoulders of porters, while high-ranking ladies are seated in a lacquered palanquin that rests upon the porters' shoulders. Utagawa Toyokuni is given credit for leading the Utagawa school to dominance of the late ukiyo-e tradition.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Fair Travellers Fording the River OiFair Travellers Fording the River OiFair Travellers Fording the River OiFair Travellers Fording the River OiFair Travellers Fording the River Oi

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.