A Young Samurai and Three Women
ca. 1789
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
15 x 9 3/4 in. (38.1 x 24.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Accession Number
JP2716
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Katsukawa Shunzan *A Young Samurai and Three* (ca. 1789) captures a moment of refined leisure. This woodblock print, measuring 15 x 9¾ inches, depicts a poised young samurai amid three graceful women, likely courtesans or companions, against a backdrop of boats gliding through a tranquil landscape. The scene evokes the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") ethos, celebrating ephemeral pleasures amid urban prosperity. Shunzan, a pupil of the renowned Katsukawa Shunshō, mastered the intricate techniques of woodblock printing—carving blo...