French Equestrian Circus on the grounds of Asakusa Kannon temple - Utagawa Kuniteru

A detailed woodblock triptych by Utagawa Kuniteru depicting a French equestrian circus performance at the Asakusa Kannon temple in 1864.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniteru captures a specific moment of cultural exchange in mid-nineteenth-century Japan. The work depicts a French equestrian troupe performing on the grounds of the Asakusa Kannon temple in Tokyo. During the Bakumatsu period, the arrival of foreign performers became a subject of fascination for the Japanese public, leading to the development of Yokohama-e, a genre of prints documenting the appearance and activities of Westerners.

The composition is a triptych, allowing for a wide, panoramic view of the circus ring. The artist employs a flattened perspective, typical of the Ukiyo-e tradition, to organise the chaotic energy of the performance. Riders are shown in various states of motion: vaulting onto horses, performing acrobatics on suspended ladders, and navigating the ring with speed. The horses themselves are rendered with a stylised anatomical approach, their forms repeating across the three panels to create a sense of continuous action.

Details such as the large wheel, the ropes, and the floral motifs integrated into the background provide a sense of the temporary structures erected for the event. The colour palette relies on distinct blocks of green, red, and brown, which serve to separate the figures from the ground. Kuniteru, a student of Utagawa Kunisada, demonstrates the technical precision required for multi-block printing, maintaining clear outlines despite the density of the scene. This print functions as a visual record of the curiosity surrounding Western entertainment in Japan, documenting the intersection of traditional Japanese printmaking techniques with the novel subject matter of the international circus.