Who created "The Six Poetic Immortals"?

The Six Poetic Immortals was created by Kubo Shunman in ca. 1810.

When was "The Six Poetic Immortals" created?

This artwork was created ca. 1810.

What medium is "The Six Poetic Immortals"?

The Six Poetic Immortals is Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk.

Is "The Six Poetic Immortals" in the public domain?

Yes, The Six Poetic Immortals is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

窪俊満筆六歌仙図|The Six Poetic Immortals

Kubo Shunman

ca. 1810

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Dimensions

36 × 12 3/4 in. (91.4 × 32.4 cm)

Classification

Paintings

Culture & Period

Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)

Department

Asian Art

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of Sebastian Izzard and Masaharu Nagano, in memory of T. Richard Fishbein, 2014

Accession Number

2014.727

Tags

PoetsMenWomen

Art Historical Context

In the elegant hanging scroll *The Six Poetic Immals* (Rokkasen-zu), created around 1810 by Kubo Shun during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), we encounter vivid portrayals of legendary waka poets—both men and women—who shaped classical Japanese literature. These "immortals," including figures like Ono no Komachi Ariwara no Nariira, were revered for their mastery of 31-syllable poems evoking love, nature, and impermanence. Shunman's work immortalizes them in a timeless tableau, blending historical homage with imaginative flair typical of ukiyo-e influences in painting. Rendered in ink and color...

About the Artist

Kubo Shunman · 1757–1820

Japanese, 1757–1820

窪俊満筆 六歌仙図|The Six Poetic Immortals

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窪俊満筆六歌仙図|The Six Poetic Immortals