Past Exhibition
Feature Exhibitions

Color Sumo Wood-Block Prints and Edo Culture

Dates: 2021.7.17 (Sat)-2021.9.5 (Sun)
Venue: 5F Feature Exhibition Gallery

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Exhibition Outline
Exhibition Structure
Exhibition List
Explanatory Video
えどはくカルチャー「相撲と錦絵―黄金期の協奏―」

During the Edo period, watching sumo wrestling became a popular form of entertainment for common people, and with the growing success of professional wrestlers, sumo flourished around the end of the 18th century. This was around the same time as the golden age of multi-colored nishiki-e woodblock printing. Following the development of prints of popular actors and beauties, new woodblock prints depicting the unique body shapes and facial features of each sumo wrestler started to appear—a departure in style from previous simpler sumo woodblock prints. Sumo woodblock prints, which realistically conveyed images of the wrestlers and the lively atmosphere of sumo wrestling, played a key role in supporting enthusiasm for sumo as entertainment and were essential in driving the popularity of star wrestlers. Presented with the cooperation of the Sumo Museum and the National Theatre, this exhibition will introduce the diverse appeal of sumo in the city of Edo, centering on nishiki-e woodblock prints of sumo.

Exhibition Outline

Dates: 2021.7.17 (Sat)-2021.9.5 (Sun)
Venue: 5F Feature Exhibition Gallery
Hours: 9:30-17:30
※入館は閉館の30分前まで
Closed: July 19, August 10, August 23
Organized by: 東京都、公益財団法人東京都歴史文化財団東京都江戸東京博物館
協力: 公益財団法人日本相撲協会相撲博物館、独立行政法人日本芸術文化振興会
Outline of event: Exhibition period: Saturday, July 17 to Sunday, September 5, 2021
Location: Edo-Tokyo Museum, Permanent Exhibition, 5th Floor Feature Exhibition Room (1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo)
Phone: 03-3626-9974 (switchboard)
3-minute walk from West Exit of Ryogoku Station, JR Sobu Line
1-minute walk from A3 or A4 Exit of Ryogoku Station (Edo-Tokyo Hakubutsukan-mae), Toei Subway Oedo Line
Toei bus: 錦27, 両28, 門33, 墨38 bus routesSumida City circulation bus “Sumida Hyakkei Sumimarukun / Sumirinchan (Southern Route)”
Get off at “Toei Ryogoku Eki-mae (Edo-Tokyo Hakubutsukan-mae)” and walk 3 minutes.
Opening hours: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm *Admission until 30 minutes before close
Days Closed: July 19, August 10, August 23
Admission fee (incl. tax)
General 600 yen
University & technical school students 480 yen
Junior high school students (from outside Tokyo), high school students, those aged 65 years and older 300 yen
Elementary & junior high school students (from Tokyo) or younger Free of charge
*College, high school, or junior high school students will need to present a student ID card. Visitors aged 65 years or more will need to present proof of age.
*The permanent exhibition admission fee is free (for this exhibition) in the following cases. Preschool children. Anyone who has a physical disability certificate, intellectual disability certificate, rehabilitation certificate, mental health and welfare certificate, or an official designation as an atomic bomb survivor, as well as their attending caregivers (up to two people).
*Please be aware that the exhibition period, opening hours, admission fees, and various discount services may change depending on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please check the latest information on the Museum’s website before visiting.

	Admission fee (incl. tax)
General	600 yen
University & technical school students	480 yen
Junior high school students (from outside Tokyo), high school students, those aged 65 years and older	300 yen
Elementary & junior high school students (from Tokyo) or younger	Free of charge

Exhibition List

pamphlet Japanese

List Japanese

第1章　黄金期の幕開け

江戸時代、相撲観戦は庶民の楽しみとなります。

18世紀末には、強豪力士を格付ける「横綱」が登場し、将軍が江戸城内で相撲を直々に観覧する「上覧相撲」が催されました。将軍のお墨付きを得て、相撲の社会的地位は飛躍的に向上します。

その背景には空前の相撲ブームがありました。なかでも世間を沸かせたのが、初の横綱となった二人の力士、谷風たにかぜ梶之助かじのすけ（1750-1795）とそのライバル小野川おのがわ喜三郎きさぶろう（1758-1806）。勝川かつかわ春章しゅんしょう（1743-1792）とその一派は、彼らの個性を捉えた似顔絵や取り組みの光景を描き、興行の熱狂を伝えました。

谷風や小野川が活躍した天明てんめい・寛政かんせい年間（1781-1801）、多色摺たしょくずりの木版画「錦絵にしきえ」もまた、東洲斎とうしゅうさい写楽しゃらく（生没年不詳）や喜多川きたがわ歌麿うたまろ（1753-1806）といったスター絵師の名が飛び交う黄金期を迎えていました。

第2章　力士と絵師の協奏

―江戸えど絵ゑハ此地の名物にして、芝居しばい歌舞伎かふき、新吉原しんよしハらの花魁たゆう、あるハすまひ取とりの立すがた、いづれも彩色さいしき濃こまやかにして、動うこくが如く笑わらうが如く―

秋里籬あきざとり島とう編『東海道名所図会』（1797年刊）

役者絵で一家を成した春章の円熟期と、天明・寛政年間（1781-1801）の谷風・小野川の活躍期が重なったことは、浮世絵と相撲の双方にとって幸運でした。勝川派の絵筆は力士にも及び、面貌や表情のみならず、体格や肉付き、土俵入どひょういりや取組の姿態にいたるまで、各々の特徴を捉えました。個性あふれる相撲取の姿が役者絵や美人画と並んで江戸市中を彩り、観衆であふれかえる取組の光景は興行の熱狂を喧伝しました。

東洲斎写楽の約10カ月というあまりに短い作画期も、そのブームと重なっていました。

文政年間（1818-1830）に勝川派の絵師が相次いで没すると、役者絵とともに相撲絵も歌川派の独壇場となり、なかでも売れっ子の歌川国貞（1786-1865）は、千数百点にのぼる相撲絵をのこしたといいます。

相撲と錦絵、力士と絵師は、相互に刺激し合い支え合いながら人々を魅了し続けました。