Ōtsu-e of a Youth Holding Irises (Yarō)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Irises are associated with youthful male beauty, and young men portrayed with irises is one of a number of ukiyo-e themes adapted by Ōtsu-e painters for their own compositions. Young Kabuki actors were called yarō during the early seventeenth century. This handsome youth holds a spray of irises in one hand and a sword in the other. He also wears a stylish robe emblazoned with calligraphy.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art