Woman and Attendant

Woman and Attendant

Utagawa Toyokuni I

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Toyokuni was one of the most prolific artists of the late Edo period. During his early career, he portrayed women with particularly graceful necks, as exemplified by this image of a courtesan on her way to see her first customer of the evening by the light of a lantern held by an attendant. She is neatly dressed, with every hair in place. Red color applied here and there reveals her youth and vibrancy. On the upper section of the scroll, a poem by Shikiteri Sanba (1776–1822), a noted author of popular literature, is inscribed: Chosen for the first time, Before becoming accustomed, It is difficult to make footsteps in the snow.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.