Yoshitsune Serenading Jorurihime
ca. 1785
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 14 1/8 in. (35.9 cm); W. 9 5/8 in. (24.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP926
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Torii Kiyonaga's *Yoshitsune Serenadingurihime* (ca. 1785) captures a romantic moment from kabuki theater lore. The woodblock print depicts the legendary samurai Minamoto no Yoshits, flute in hand, charming the beautiful Jorurih. This intimate scene reflectskiyo-e's "floating world" aesthetic—ephemeral pleasures like love, music, and performance that captivated urban audiences in 18th-century Edo (modern Tokyo). Kiyonaga, a master of the Torii school renowned for actor prints (yakusha-e) and elegant depictions of women (bijin-ga), excels h...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815
Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...