The practice of enjoying the evening cool (suzumi) beneath a bridge was a seasonal pleasure particular to Edo's hot summers, with citizens gathering under the broad spans of the Sumida River bridges to catch river breezes after sundown. Kuniyoshi's composition shows figures in light summer kimono relaxing in the shade of massive wooden timbers, the river's surface cooling the air around them. The subject captures a fleeting summer custom with the genre painter's eye for social observation.
Wakasa Kugushiko
1920
Color woodblock print; oban
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
n.d.
Woodblock print; ishizuri-e, section of harimaze sheet
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Enjoying the evening cool under a bridge. was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳).
Enjoying the evening cool under a bridge. depicts landscapes, bridges, and night scenes.