The New Year Niwaka Festival in the Pleasure Quarters 1786 - 1806

This woodblock print, titled "The New Year Niwaka Festival in the Pleasure Quarters," was created by the artist Eishōsai Chōki between 1786 and 1806. It depicts three figures: a young woman wearing a decorative headdress and patterned kimono, a young man with a green hat, and an older man. The artwork uses the ukiyo-e style, a genre of Japanese art popular from the 17th to 19th centuries, and is known for its focus on everyday life, especially that of the pleasure quarters. The print’s detailed depiction of the characters’ clothing and the background, as well as the use of vibrant colors, contributes to the ukiyo-e genre’s emphasis on beauty and style. This artwork, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, provides insight into the visual and social culture of Edo-period Japan.