Guan Yu, Chinese God of War
19th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions
Image: 33 11/16 × 13 9/16 in. (85.5 × 34.5 cm) Overall with mounting: 59 1/2 × 16 15/16 in. (151.2 × 43 cm) Overall with knobs: 59 1/2 × 19 3/16 in. (151.2 × 48.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Seymour Fund, 1959
Accession Number
59.37
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the grand tradition of Edo-period Japanese art, Katsushika Hai (1760–1849)—best known for his iconic wood prints like *The Great off Kanagawa*—presents *Guan Yu, Chinese God of War* as a magnificent hanging scroll. Created in the 19th century, this and color on silk painting measures about 33½ by 13½ inches its image area, designed to be unrolled for intimate viewing in a home or temple alcove. Hokusaifully captures the fierce yet dignified Guan Yu, a deified Chinese general from the 3rd century, revered for his loyalty and martial prowess in the epic *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*. Guan ...
About the Artist
Katsushika Hokusai · 1760–1849
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) stands as one of history's most influential artists, a Japanese master who revolutionized the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition and profoundly shaped Western art. Born in the Katsushika district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to an artisan family, Hokusai lived through nearly nine decades of extraordinary creative evolution, adopting over thirty different artistic names t...