Artwork
Festival Scenes
Festival Scenes is an unspecified painting by the Baroque artist Unknown. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This pair of small folding screens depicts a diverse array of entertainments and festivities.
- Accession no.
- 1985.279
- Credit line
- The Kelvin Smith Collection, given by Mrs. Kelvin Smith
About this work
You see two small folding screens packed with tiny figures, sumo wrestlers, jugglers, dancers, and men hauling a festival float.
At first it looks like one big party, but each scene is actually a separate moment from different festivals. The artist crammed them together like a scrapbook of Edo street life.
If you like these busy scenes, look up Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) next.
Overview
This pair of small folding screens depicts a diverse array of entertainments and festivities.
Subject & Meaning
The screens show various isolated scenes from different occasions, including sumo wrestling, juggling, and festival processions, as well as noblemen playing kickball and theater performances. The scenes are not continuous, but rather a collection of disparate moments.
Technique & Style
The artist densely populated the screens with tiny figures, creating a vibrant and dynamic composition that captures the energy of Edo street life.
Artist & collection
