Young Lady with Drum and Man with Fan Saluting Her
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 14 1/8 in. (35.9 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 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
JP1742
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Utagawa Toyokuni I captures a playful moment in *Young Lady with Drum and with Fan Saluting Her*, a classic woodblock print from thekiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world" that celebrated everyday pleasures, theater, and. This intimate scene shows a poised young woman holding a drum serenely framed by trees, as a stylish man bows in salute with an open fan—a gesture blending courtesy and flirtation amid urban leisure. Toyokuni I (1769–1825), a master of the Utagawa school, excelled in bijin-ga (images of beautiful women) and yakusha-e (actor portraits), infusing his works with dynamic poses and expressive faces. The woodblock medium, using ink and color on paper, revolutionized Japanese art through its collaborative process: carvers, printers, and publishers produced affordable, vividly hued prints for a wide audience. At 14⅛ × 10 inches, this piece exemplifies the format's accessibility, evoking the lively streets of 19th-century Edo (modern Tokyo). A gem from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department, gifted via the H.O. Havemeyer Collection in 1929, it highlights the enduring allure of these prints, which bridged art and popular culture, influencing global aesthetics from Impressionism onward.
About the Artist
Utagawa Toyokuni I · 1777–1835
Japanese, 1777–1835