Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, from the series, A Collection of Beautiful Modern Women of the Pleasure Quarters

1783

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, from the series, A Collection of Beautiful Modern Women of the Pleasure Quarters is a 1783 by Torii Kiyonaga, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Torii Kiyonaga
When & what style?: 1783 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows four people on a balcony by the water. Two women in bright kimonos—one red with gold patterns, one blue with white flowers—stand near a lantern. A man in a dark kimono leans against the railing, and another man kneels on the floor, holding a fan. The background has a simple fence and boats floating on the water. The women’s kimonos have bold, flat colors and simple designs, typical of Japanese woodblock prints. The scene looks lively but calm, with no harsh shadows—just clean lines and soft edges. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see where this print is kept.