The Actor Nakamura Nakazō in the Role of Kan Shōjō

Katsukawa Shunshō　勝川春章

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Based on the legend of Sugawara Michizane, Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy (Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami) became one of the most popular Kabuki plays. In it, Kan Shōjō (Sugawara Michizane; 845–903), a distinguished statesman, poet, and scholar, was deified as the god Tenjin to appease his spirit's righteous vengeance after his death in exile. The storm in this print is the dramatic personification of Michizane's wrathful spirit. The actor Nakamura Nakazō is depicted in a vengeful pose, brandishing a plum branch (the plum was closely associated with Michizane).

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