Young Man Walking Toward the Left on High Geta and Playing the Flute as He Walks
ca. 1745
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
28 1/2 x 6 1/4 in. (72.4 x 15.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund and Rogers Fund, 1949
Accession Number
JP3107
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the bustling streets of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868), Okumura Masobu captures a moment of rhythmic grace in his woodblock print *Young Man Walking Toward the on High Geta and the Flute as Hes* (ca. 1745). This ink and color print on paper, measuring an elongated 28½ x 6¼ inches, exemplifies the ukiyo-e tradition—"pictures of the floating world"— celebrated everyday life, fashion, and entertainment among the urban merchant class. The young man strides confidently to the left, elevated on tall geta wooden clogs that kept feet dry on rainy streets and signaled stylish flair. Multitasking with...
About the Artist
Okumura Masanobu · 1686–1764
Japanese, 1686–1764