Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)

Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)

Utagawa Kunisada

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This triptych is a rare example from Kunisada's early career. It features the scene of Kumagai's camp from the Kabuki play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani, which was first performed in 1811. The three actors are arranged one to a sheet, and the artist has captured them striking exaggerated poses (mie) in front of a large, blossoming plum tree.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)Kabuki Scene at Kumagai's Camp, from the play The Chronicle of the Battle of Ichinotani (Ichinotani futaba gunki)

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.