1783
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
和田原甚四郎 花項山五郎吉|The Sumo Wrestlers Wadagahara Jinshirō and Kachōzan Gorokichi is a 1783 ink by Katsushika Hokusai, a Japonisme work, depicting Sport, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows two sumo wrestlers in the middle of a match. One wrestler is lifting the other off the ground by his shoulders, while the other clings on with both hands. Their bodies are large and muscular, and they wear simple red and gold belts over dark pants. The background is plain, with just a few scattered dots on the ground. The wrestlers’ faces are tense and focused, showing the effort and intensity of the sport. The artist used bold lines and flat colors to highlight their strength and movement. Next, look up sport in Japanese art to see how other cultures depicted athletes.
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
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