19th century
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 13 1/2 × 9 1/2 in. (34.3 × 24.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP212.30
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi a leading figure of Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), exemplifies the vibrant ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"—that captured everyday beauty and drama for a wide audience. Created in the 19th century using ink and color on paper the image measures 13½ × 9½ inches, a standard size for these affordable, mass-produced artworks that brought artistry into homes across Japan. Kuniyoshi, renowned for his dynamic compositions and imaginative flair, often blended human figures with nature, as seen here in motifs of men amid flowers an...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kuniyoshi · 1797–1861
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) was born in Edo to the silk-dyer Yanagiya Kichiyemon, originally bearing the childhood name Yoshisaburō. From a young age, he assisted in his family's pattern design work, which sharpened his innate mastery of color and textile motifs that would permeate his later prints. At around twelve years old, his prodigious drawing skills drew the attention of the renowned Utag...