Court Ladies Dragging a Cabinet along the Floor
19th century
Medium
Part of an album of woodblock prints (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 1/8 x 10 9/16 in. (20.6 x 26.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP2251
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the playful woodblock print *Court Ladies Dragging a along the Floor*, Kub Shunman captures a whimsical moment from everyday life in Edo-period Japan (1615–1868). Created in the 19th century part of a luxurious *surimono* albumprivately commissioned prints often exchanged as New Year's gifts—this ink and color on paper work measures a intimate 8 1/8 x 10 9/16 inches. Shunman, a master of the ukiyo-e tradition, depicts elegant court ladies gleefully hauling a cabinet across the floor, surrounded by lush plants, blending humor with refined domesticity. Surimono like this one stand out for th...
About the Artist
Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820
Japanese, 1757–1820