The Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons

The Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons

Kitagawa Utamaro

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Utamaro portrays a moment in which life in a townsman's home is enlivened and refreshed by a sudden change in the weather. The father rushes to close the outer doors against the rain, while family members dive under a raised mosquito net, which was believed to offer protection from the thunder spirits. Utamaro, a prolific ukiyo-e artist, was fascinated by themes of daily life as well as by beautiful women.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four SeasonsThe Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four SeasonsThe Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four SeasonsThe Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four SeasonsThe Coming Thunderstorm, from the illustrated book Flowers of the Four Seasons

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.