Returning Boats at Komagata
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm); W. 7 9/16 in. (19.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
JP1693
Tags
Art Historical Context
Isoda Koryūsai's *Returning Boats at Komagata captures a serene moment from everyday life in Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), a time of relative peace and booming urban culture in what is now Tokyo. This woodblock print, rendered in vibrant ink and color on paper exemplifies ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), popular art form that celebrated fleeting pleasures like theater, fashion, and scenic views. Koryūsai, active in the mid- to late 18th century, was renowned for his delicate depictions of beautiful women (bijin-ga) and lively genre scenes, blending precise lines with subtle color gr...
About the Artist
Isoda Koryūsai · 1735–1790
Japanese, 1735–ca. 1790