Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 14 5/8 × 10 1/8 in. (37.1 × 25.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
JP1092.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woodblock print by Utagawa Kunis (1786–1865), a leading figure of Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), captures the vibrant spirit of ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating." Known for his masterful depictions of kabuki actors, beautiful women (bijin-ga), and dramatic scenes, Kunisada thousands of prints that brought theater and everyday life to the masses. Though the exact date and subject remain unidentified, the imagery—featuring swords, men, women, a moonlit sky, and trees—evokes a tense, romantic, or theatrical moment, possibly inspired by popular kabuki plays blending warriors, ...
About the Artist
Utagawa Kunisada · 1786–1864
**Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865)** Born in 1786 in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo), Utagawa Kunisada hailed from a family with a hereditary ferry-boat service that provided financial stability, allowing him to pursue art from a young age. His father, an amateur poet of note, died shortly after his birth, leaving young Sumida Shōgorō (Kunisada's childhood name) to nurture his evident talent...