Who painted Sake Party with No Light?

Sake Party with No Light was painted by Tomioka Tessai in 1890-01-01.

Where can I see Sake Party with No Light?

Sake Party with No Light is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Sake Party with No Light?

Sake Party with No Light is associated with Japonisme.

Can I buy a print of Sake Party with No Light?

Museum-quality prints of Sake Party with No Light are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Sake Party with No Light

Tomioka Tessai , 1896

Sake Party with No Light is an unspecified painting by the Japonisme artist Tomioka Tessai. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

History & Provenance

The painting Sake Party with No Light by Tomioka Tessai, created in 1890, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland.

Sake Party with No Light is a painting created by Tomioka Tessai in 1890. The work is currently held in the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it bears the accession number 1982.156. The sources provide no information about a commission, prior owners, or any changes in custody before its entry into the museum’s collection.

The dating of the work is supported by both the internal catalog entry and the Wikidata record, which list an inception date of 1890-01-01.

The painting Sake Party with No Light by Tomioka Tessai, created in 1890, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. The work is cataloged under the accession number 1982.156. No specific exhibition history is provided in the available records.

Overview

Created in 1896, Sake Party with No Light is a painting by Tomioka Tessai, a Japanese artist active at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. The work belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and portrays a nocturnal gathering of people around a low table, rendered with a loose, sketch‑like brushwork that leaves much of the paper exposed.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a convivial drinking scene set in dim light, suggesting a moment of informal social interaction. Figures are rendered with exaggerated heads and diminutive bodies, conveying a sense of immediacy and humor. Sparse background marks hint at trees or clouds, keeping focus on the animated participants and the atmosphere of a private revelry.

Technique & Style

Tessai combines traditional ink methods associated with the Bunjinga literati tradition with emerging elements of the early Nihonga movement. Quick, uneven strokes and large unpainted areas give the image a spontaneous, unfinished quality, while the use of ink on paper maintains a connection to classical Chinese-inspired brushwork.