Portrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of Baiōmaru

Portrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of Baiōmaru

Utagawa Kunisada

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kunisada, also known as Toyokuni III after the death of his master, was one of the most popular artists of the first half of the nineteenth century. This print portrays the actor Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1868) as a close-up image emerging from a sake cup. Kichizaburō is shown in the role of Baio-maru (Plum Boy) from the play Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy. A poem by Kichizaburō, inscribed in two lines at the left, can be translated as follows: Spear plums grow strong in the sunshine.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Portrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of BaiōmaruPortrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of BaiōmaruPortrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of BaiōmaruPortrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of BaiōmaruPortrait of Arashi Kichizaburō III (1810–1864) in the Role of Baiōmaru

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.