Courtesan with Attendants, Boy and Maid, in the Rain Under an Umbrella
ca. 1800
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
5 9/16 x 7 1/8 in. (14.1 x 18.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
JP1141
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Ryūryūkyo Shinsai's *tesan with Attendants Boy and Maid, in the Rain Under an Umbrella (ca. 1800) captures the fleeting elegance of the "floating world" (ukiyo). This woodblock print, known as a *surimono*, was a luxury item commissioned for private circles, often featuring poetry or New Year's greetings. Printed in ink and color on paper, its petite size—5 9/16 x 7 1/8 in.—made it perfect for personal appreciation, showcasing Shinsai's mastery in the ukiyo-e tradition of depicting pleasure districts like Yoshiwara. The scene unfolds under...
About the Artist
Ryūryūkyo Shinsai · 1799–1823
Ryūryūkyo Shinsai (柳々居辰斎), active from 1799 to 1823, was a prominent Japanese ukiyo-e printmaker based in Edo (modern Tokyo), renowned for his mastery of surimono—luxurious, privately commissioned woodblock prints produced for elite poetry circles and New Year's celebrations. He began his training under Tawaraya Sōri before becoming a student of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, from whom he recei...