三味線の調弦|Woman Tuning a Shamisen and a Cat Looking at its Own Reflection
mid- 1820s
Medium
Part of an album of woodblock prints (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
8 3/16 x 7 5/16 in. (20.8 x 18.6 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
JP2339
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–8), Yashima Gakutei crafted this delightful surimono woodblock around the mid-1820s. Titled *Woman Tuning a Shamisen and a Cat Looking at its Own Reflection*, it captures an intimate domestic moment: a woman delicately adjusting the strings of her shamisen—a three-stringed lute central to traditional music, theater, and geisha performances—while a curious cat peers at its shimmering reflection, adding a touch of whimsical humor. Part of a luxurious album of prints, this small gem (8 3/16 x 7 5/16 in.) uses ink and color on paper, showcasing the re...
About the Artist
Yashima Gakutei · 1786–1868
Yashima Gakutei (c. 1786–1868), born in Osaka as the illegitimate son of a Tokugawa shogunate samurai named Hirata, adopted the name from his mother's subsequent marriage into the Yashima clan. Little is documented about his early years beyond these familial ties, but he pursued artistic training under the esteemed ukiyo-e masters Totoya Hokkei and Katsushika Hokusai, absorbing their precision in ...