Who painted Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych?

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych was painted by Utagawa Kuniyoshi in 1830.

Where can I see Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych?

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych?

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych

Utagawa Kuniyoshi , 1830

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych is a print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

For another look at printmaking, check out Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797–1861).

You see a group of people bent over tidal pools at low tide. The water is calm. They’re gathering shellfish and seaweed.

This is one of five prints made as a set. Each print has its own poem above the scene. The poems were written by a group in Edo, led by a man named Hisakataya Misora.

See how the waves feel gentle here. The prints were probably made in April, the best time for this work.

For another look at printmaking, check out Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797–1861).

Overview

Fifth Print from A Low Tide Pentaptych is a surimono print, one of five privately commissioned works depicting people collecting sea life at low tide. The composition combines visual and literary elements, featuring ten witty poems across the series.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows individuals gathered around tidal pools at low tide, calmly collecting shellfish and seaweed. The scene likely celebrates the traditional activity of beachcombing, with the setting possibly referencing April, a favored time for this pursuit.

Technique & Style

Characterized by gentle wave depictions, the print's visual style complements the serene atmosphere of the tidal scene. While specific technical details of its creation are not provided, the integration of poetry within the design highlights a distinctive aspect of surimono prints.

History & Provenance

Originating from Edo (modern-day Tokyo), this print was part of a project led by Hisakataya Misora, a prominent figure in a local poetry circle active in the 1810s–30s. Misora authored four of the ten poems distributed across the pentaptych.

Context

For comparative insight into contemporary Japanese printmaking, the works of Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) offer a relevant point of reference, illustrating the broader artistic landscape of the time.

Artist & collection

Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Kuniyoshi grew up in old Tokyo when the city was still called Edo. His dad ran a silk shop, but Kuniyoshi loved anything with pictures—scrolls, screens, comic books. He talked his way into the Utagawa school, a kind of…