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Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival

Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival by Utagawa Kuniyoshi — Japanese Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, 19th century

Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival

by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Date:: 19th century
Medium:: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Format:: Oban
Dimensions:

52.5 × 18.6 cm

Source:

Harvard Art Museums

Typical Price

Rare supernatural/mythological subject in exceptional condition: $50,000–$260,000
Fine early impression of iconic composition: $10,000–$50,000
Good condition example: $2,000–$8,000

Description

Edo's hikeshi (firefighters) performed spectacular acrobatic demonstrations on tall bamboo ladders during the New Year's season, a tradition called dezomeshiki that combined practical skill display with festive entertainment. Kuniyoshi documents the event with multiple figures posed at vertiginous heights on their ladders, the crowd visible below and the organized chaos of the performance captured in nishiki-e polychrome. The firemen's distinctive blue-and-white happi coats and their tattooed physiques were frequent subjects in Kuniyoshi's genre prints.

More Prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Yan Qing (Roshi Ensei), from the series "One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Water Margin (Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Yan Qing (Roshi Ensei), from the series "One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Water Margin (Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)"

Poem by Abe no Nakamaro, from an untitled series of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Poem by Abe no Nakamaro, from an untitled series of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets

Hu Sanniang (Ko Sanjo Ichijosei), from the series "One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Water Margin (Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Hu Sanniang (Ko Sanjo Ichijosei), from the series "One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Water Margin (Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)"

Miya, Kuwana, Yokkaichi, and Ishiyakushi, from the series "Famous Places on the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido, Four Stations (Tokaido gojusan eki yonshuku meisho)" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Miya, Kuwana, Yokkaichi, and Ishiyakushi, from the series "Famous Places on the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido, Four Stations (Tokaido gojusan eki yonshuku meisho)"

More Summer Prints

Bull Festival at Koryuji by Takeji Asano

Bull Festival at Koryuji

広隆寺牛祭

Woodblock print

February (The Annual Festival of the Fushimi Inari) by Tomikichiro Tokuriki

February (The Annual Festival of the Fushimi Inari)

二月 (伏見稲荷大社祭)

second half 20th century

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

July (Gorgeous Procession of Yama-hoko or the Floats at the Gion Festival) by Tomikichiro Tokuriki

July (Gorgeous Procession of Yama-hoko or the Floats at the Gion Festival)

七月 (祇園祭山鉾巡行)

second half 20th century

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

August (The Bonfire Festival of the Daimonji Hill Viewed from the Sanjo Bridge) by Tomikichiro Tokuriki

August (The Bonfire Festival of the Daimonji Hill Viewed from the Sanjo Bridge)

八月 (三条大橋より大文字)

second half 20th century

Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Frequently Asked Questions

Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳) in 19th century.

Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival depicts summer, set at Tokyo.

Edo Firemen Demonstrating Ladder-climbing During Festival measures 52.5 × 18.6 cm (Oban format).