Artisans, Beauties, and Annual Events
This album preserves a cornucopia of images of traditional Japanese culture at the beginning of the Meiji period, a time when the island country was opening up to modernization effected by engagement with the West. Each of the thirty leaves captures a scene of bygone Japan. About a third of the images captures people—mostly women—of all walks of life enjoying outdoor excursions, activities of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters, or annual festivities across the four seasons.
Yet, central to the set, and in many ways the most interesting and instructive images, are the depictions of women and men busy at occupations that once defined Japan before modernization encroached: carving religious sculptures in stone and wood; constructing homes and temples according to traditional methods; dyeing and embroidering textiles; mounting paintings with silk borders.
Yet, central to the set, and in many ways the most interesting and instructive images, are the depictions of women and men busy at occupations that once defined Japan before modernization encroached: carving religious sculptures in stone and wood; constructing homes and temples according to traditional methods; dyeing and embroidering textiles; mounting paintings with silk borders.
Artwork Details
- 豊原国周筆 当世庶民風俗画帖
- Title: Artisans, Beauties, and Annual Events
- Artist: Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese, 1835–1900)
- Period: Meiji period (1868–1912)
- Date: 1874
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Thirty paintings mounted as an accordion album; ink, color, gold and gold flecks on silk
- Dimensions: Image (each): 11 7/8 × 13 1/8 in. (30.2 × 33.3 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.402
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Toyohara Kunichika
1896
Toyohara Kunichika
1883
Toyohara Kunichika
1861
Toyohara Kunichika
late 19th century
Toyohara Kunichika
ca. 2nd month, 1864
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.