Travellers Viewing a Rainbow at Surugadai, from the series Famous Views of the Eastern Capital

The rain has lifted and a stunning rainbow stretches across a valley. A samurai in informal dress gazes with a hand lifted to his brow while his attendant points at the rainbow. Beyond, a man can be seen walking toward them with an opened umbrella at his side as though a shower of rain has just stopped. Kuniyoshi’s shading and modeling of form, as seen in the trees and the men’s clothing, as well as the strong sense of distances created through perspective, show an interest in Western-style expression.