Taking Shelter from the Rain

Teisai Hokuba

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Travelers caught in a sudden downpour take shelter under the eaves of a gate at a large estate. Men and women from different walks of life—a flower vendor, a bookseller with a stack of books, assorted pilgrims, a lion-dance performer, and a warrior—huddle under the roof. A restless child, untroubled by the rainstorm, hangs upside down from a beam. This painting is based on a pictorial theme made popular by Hanabusa Itchō (1652–1724), who rendered the scene to represent the summer season in various formats (including a screen in the Burke Collection). The style here adheres neither to Hokuba’s usual hypermeticulous depictions of women of the pleasure quarters nor to his landscapes inspired by Kano-school paintings, but perhaps was directly inspired by Itchō or one of his followers.

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