Provenance · Bequest

Edward L. Whittemore

This catalog gathers 43 public-domain works bequeathed to the museum by Edward L. Whittemore. Every work is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

  1. Full Moon with Crow on Plum Branch Full Moon with Crow on Plum Branch Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎 · 1884
  2. Binzasara, A Dance with Clappers (From the series Entertainments at the Height of the Niwaka Festival in the Pleasure Quarters) Binzasara, A Dance with Clappers (From the series Entertainments at the Height of the Niwaka Festival in the Pleasure Quarters) Eishōsai Chōki · 1794
  3. Tanikaze Kajinosuke Tanikaze Kajinosuke Katsukawa Shunshō · 1784
  4. Passing the Bamboo Grove Passing the Bamboo Grove Suzuki Harunobu
  5. Sawamura Sojuro III as Enya Hangan in Kanadehon Chushingura Sawamura Sojuro III as Enya Hangan in Kanadehon Chushingura Katsukawa Shun'ei 勝川春英 · 1795
  6. Ichikawa Ebizō IV (Danjurō) as Takemura Sadanoshin in The Loving Wife's Parti-Colored Reins Ichikawa Ebizō IV (Danjurō) as Takemura Sadanoshin in The Loving Wife's Parti-Colored Reins Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794
  7. The Courtesan Karahama of Yamashiroya Performing the Tea Ceremony (from the series Models for Fahions: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves) The Courtesan Karahama of Yamashiroya Performing the Tea Ceremony (from the series Models for Fahions: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves) Isoda Koryūsai · 1774
  8. Memorial Portrait of Sawamura Sojuro III as Satsuma Gengobei Memorial Portrait of Sawamura Sojuro III as Satsuma Gengobei Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1800
  9. Poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, from One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by an Old Nurse Poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, from One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by an Old Nurse Katsushika Hokusai · 1836
  10. Women Distracting a Child whose Kite is caught in a Tree Women Distracting a Child whose Kite is caught in a Tree Katsushika Hokusai · 1800
  11. Takigawa of the Ōgiya from the series A Selection of Eastern Beauties Takigawa of the Ōgiya from the series A Selection of Eastern Beauties Kitagawa Utamaro · 1798
  12. Youth as a Stand-in Monju Youth as a Stand-in Monju Suzuki Harunobu · 1767
  13. A Girl Dressing in Pink A Girl Dressing in Pink Suzuki Harunobu · 1766
  14. Ichikawa Monnosuke as a Courtesan and Nakajima Mioemon Bursting Out of a Barrel Ichikawa Monnosuke as a Courtesan and Nakajima Mioemon Bursting Out of a Barrel Torii Kiyomasu I
  15. Otani Tokuji I as the Retainer Sodesuke in "Flowering Irises: A Soga Vendetta of the Bunroku Era" Otani Tokuji I as the Retainer Sodesuke in "Flowering Irises: A Soga Vendetta of the Bunroku Era" Tōshūsai Sharaku · 1794
  16. Elegant Pleasures of the Four Seasons Elegant Pleasures of the Four Seasons Kitagawa Utamaro · 1782
  17. The Whirlpools of Awa The Whirlpools of Awa Utagawa Hiroshige · 1857
  18. Mountain and River on the Kiso Road Mountain and River on the Kiso Road Utagawa Hiroshige · 1857
  19. South Wind, Clear Sky, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji South Wind, Clear Sky, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji Katsushika Hokusai · 1834
  20. New Yoshiwara (Shin Yoshiwara), from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital New Yoshiwara (Shin Yoshiwara), from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1834
  21. Onoe Kikugorō I as Izumi no Saburō in the Play Snowflakes: Plum Blossoms Kaomise Onoe Kikugorō I as Izumi no Saburō in the Play Snowflakes: Plum Blossoms Kaomise Ippitsusai Bunchō · 1769
  22. Iwai Kiyotaro (Edoya) as Okaru (from the series Pictures of Actors Onstage) Iwai Kiyotaro (Edoya) as Okaru (from the series Pictures of Actors Onstage) Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1794
  23. Sparrows, Bamboo and Falling Snow Sparrows, Bamboo and Falling Snow Keisai Eisen · 1824
  24. The Flirtatious Type, from Ten Types in the Physiognomy of Women The Flirtatious Type, from Ten Types in the Physiognomy of Women Kitagawa Utamaro · 1793
  25. Courtesans Promenading on the Nakanochō Courtesans Promenading on the Nakanochō Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1790
  26. Landscape with Ferry Boat, Geese and Full Moon Landscape with Ferry Boat, Geese and Full Moon Totoya Hokkei · 1834
  27. Matsumoto Koshiro IV as a Townsman Standing Beside a Water Barrel Matsumoto Koshiro IV as a Townsman Standing Beside a Water Barrel Torii Kiyomitsu · 1770
  28. Omu the Parrot (from the series Seven Elegant Episodes from the Life of the Poetess Ono no Komachi) Omu the Parrot (from the series Seven Elegant Episodes from the Life of the Poetess Ono no Komachi) Chôbunsai Eishi · 1790
  29. The Courtesan Kisagata of Ohishiya Strolling at Night with Two Shinzo and a Kamuro The Courtesan Kisagata of Ohishiya Strolling at Night with Two Shinzo and a Kamuro Chôbunsai Eishi · 1790
  30. Actor Holding a Razor Actor Holding a Razor 1800
  31. Women of the Tatsumi District (from the series Eastern Customs of the Present Day) Women of the Tatsumi District (from the series Eastern Customs of the Present Day) Katsukawa Shunchō · 1784
  32. Women in a Tea House Women in a Tea House Kubo Shunman · 1784
  33. Cleaning Combs Cleaning Combs Kitagawa Utamaro · 1794
  34. Woman Putting Out a Light (from the series Modern Customs: Frost Beneath the Stars) Woman Putting Out a Light (from the series Modern Customs: Frost Beneath the Stars) Utagawa Kunisada · 1820
  35. Segawa Kikunojo (Roko) Holding an Umbrella Segawa Kikunojo (Roko) Holding an Umbrella Torii Kiyomitsu · 1764
  36. Copper Pheasant by Snowy Waterfall Copper Pheasant by Snowy Waterfall Utagawa Hiroshige · 1840
  37. Cuckoo Cuckoo Utagawa Hiroshige · 1844
  38. Portrait of the Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as a Woman Portrait of the Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as a Woman Utagawa Kunimasa · 1800
  39. The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors The Courtesans Kasugano and Utahama of Tamaya, from Courtesans of the Pleasure Quarters in Double Mirrors Kitagawa Utamaro · 1800
  40. Woman Holding a Wooden Cup Stand Decorated with Chrysanthemums (from the series Elegant Pictures of the Five Seasonal Festivals) Woman Holding a Wooden Cup Stand Decorated with Chrysanthemums (from the series Elegant Pictures of the Five Seasonal Festivals) Chôbunsai Eishi · 1794
  41. Full Moon over Takanawa, from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital Full Moon over Takanawa, from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital Utagawa Hiroshige · 1831
  42. Seki, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Seki, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō Utagawa Hiroshige · 1848
  43. Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, from the series, A Collection of Beautiful Modern Women of the Pleasure Quarters Entertainment on a Balcony by the Water at Nakasu, from the series, A Collection of Beautiful Modern Women of the Pleasure Quarters Torii Kiyonaga · 1783

On provenance & the public domain

A credit line — the small "Bequest of…" note beside a work on a museum wall — records its provenance: how the object passed from a private hand into a public collection, whether as an outright gift, a bequest left in a will, the purchase from a named endowment, or an entire collection acquired at once. Because these works are in the public domain, anyone can study, share, and reproduce them freely. Browsing by provenance follows the human story behind a museum's holdings — the collectors and benefactors whose generosity put these works where the public can see them.

Every work in this catalog is in the public domain; images come from the museums that hold them.