Woman under a Willow Tree

Woman under a Willow Tree

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Lush and sensual, ukiyo-e paintings of the eighteenth century idealized beauty, placing courtesans and young women in indoor and outdoor seasonal settings. Shunshō—an Edo bon vivant, painter, and print designer-was renowned for his facility in depicting actors and beautiful women. This early summer picture depicts a young woman from a good family standing under a willow tree. The poem at the top, composed and inscribed by Fūdo, a kyoka (satirical poem) poet, reads: The willows would leaf in profusion in an answer to the water's invitation.

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.