Igirisujin|英吉利人|Englishmen
ca. 1862
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
14 x 9 3/4 in. (35.6 x 24.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lincoln Kirstein, 1959
Accession Number
JP3312
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created around 1862 by Utagawa Yoshik, a master of the Utagawa school within Japan's ukiyo-e tradition *Igirisujin* (Englishmen) is a vibrant woodblock print capturing the exotic allure of Western visitors during a pivotal era. Measuring 14 x 9¾ inches, this ink and color on paper work exemplifies the collaborative artistry of woodblock printing: carvers, printers, and publishers working together to produce affordable, mass-reproducible images that brought the floating world of everyday life—and novelty—into homes. The print likely depicts British men, complete with firearms, flags, flowers, ...
About the Artist
Utagawa Yoshikazu
Utagawa Yoshikazu (active circa 1850–1870) was a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print artist who came of age during one of the most dynamic periods in Japanese history — the twilight of the Edo period and the dawning of the Meiji era. Born and active in Edo (present-day Tokyo), he trained under the celebrated master Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the towering figures of the Utagawa school renowned for his ...