Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"

Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"

Toyohara Kunichika

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kunichika's triptych illustrates IchikawaDanjūrō IX in the Role of the monk Mongaku. The close view captures the powerful Danjūrō, opening wide a handscroll while flipping away his hapless enemies who cluster about him. The Ichikawa family's repertoire of aragoto roles was augmented by Danjūrō IX (1839–1903), who established a new repertoire of eighteen plays. His performance in the role of the monk Mongaku in 1896 became so popular that spectators threw coins onto the stage to show their admiration.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"Ichikawa Danjūrō IX in the Role of the Monk Mongaku from the Play "Mongaku Kanjincho"

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.