Arashi Ryūzō I as Ishibe Kinkichi in the Play "Hana Ayame Bunroku Soga"

Tōshūsai Sharaku

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like the figure to the right, this actor uses his kimono to make an expressive gesture. Unlike the stealthy Uguisu no Jirō saku, however, the swaggering Ishibe Kinkichi grasps his right sleeve with his left hand and pushes it up to bare his forearm and displays his readiness to fight. The eyes of this petty rascal, however, betray cowardice rather than bravery. Ishibe Kinkichi is the proverbial hard-hearted moneylender, and this conventional gesture expresses the cocky bravado of a bully's threat.

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