Kyōsai’s Drawings for Pleasure (Kyōsai rakuga) 暁齋樂画
1881, seventh month (Meiji 14)
Medium
Set of two woodblock-printed books (one volume orihon, accordion-style); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
each: 8 7/8 × 5 7/8 in. (22.5 × 15 cm)
Classification
Illustrated Books
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Mary and James G. Wallach Foundation Gift, 2013
Accession Number
2013.766a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of Kawanabeōsai with *Kyōsai’s for Pleasure (Kyōai rakuga)*, a delightful set of two woodblock books created in the seventh month of 1881 during Japan's Meiji period (1868–1912). Kyōsai, a master of ukiyo-e and ink painting renowned for his satirical humor and fantastical imagery, produced these accordion-style orihon volumes—measuring a compact 8⅞ × 5⅞ inches each—using vibrant ink and color on paper. This intimate format invited viewers to unfold pages like a playful scroll, revealing spontaneous sketches that capture the artist's boundless creativity. Kyōsai's...
About the Artist
Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎 (Japanese) · 1831 –1889
Japanese, 1831–1889