Who painted Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu)?

Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) was painted by Miyagawa Issho in 1716-01-01.

Where can I see Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu)?

Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu)?

Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) is associated with Ukiyo-e.

Artwork

Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu)

Miyagawa Issho , 1716

Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Miyagawa Issho. It dates from 1716 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The pairing of a warrior and a wakashu reflects themes of loyalty, martial virtue, and homoerotic affection within the cultural context of the time.

The painting Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) by Miyagawa Issho depicts a samurai accompanied by a young male lover, a relationship historically associated with the concept of wakashu in Edo-period Japan. The pairing of a warrior and a wakashu reflects themes of loyalty, martial virtue, and homoerotic affection within the cultural context of the time. The work is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was created in Japan in 1716.

History & Provenance

The painting Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) by Miyagawa Issho is dated to 1716, indicating it was created in the early eighteenth century during the Edo period in Japan.

The work is currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is listed as part of the museum’s collection. Its provenance prior to acquisition by the museum is not specified in the available sources.

The painting Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu) by Miyagawa Issho is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work, created in 1716, is part of the museum's holdings of Japanese art. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is provided in the available sources.

Overview

Miyagawa Isshō’s Samurai and Wakashu (Bushi to wakashu), executed in 1716, is an ukiyo-e composition that presents a domestic interior populated by two young men. The work reflects the everyday visual culture of Edo’s urban milieu, capturing a moment of leisure within a richly patterned setting.

Technique & Style

Executed in the ukiyo-e woodblock tradition, Isshō employs flat areas of saturated colour and delicate line work to delineate clothing and interior details. The patterned rug, floral ceiling plant, and scattered papers are rendered with precise brush‑like strokes, characteristic of the Kyōhō era’s refined aesthetic.

Context

The image belongs to a broader visual culture that documented the social roles of samurai and wakashū in Edo society. Such works often served both as decorative art and as subtle commentaries on the fluid boundaries of gender and status within the pleasure districts of the time.

勝川春好画三代目澤村宗十郎三代目佐野川市松 |Kabuki Actors Sawamura Sōjūrō III and Sanogawa Ichimatsu III in "A Courtesan’s Mirror for the Eastern Provinces" (Keisei Azuma kagami), Katsukawa Shunkō

Artist & collection

Artist

Miyagawa Issho

Miyagawa Isshō (宮川一笑, 1689 – 20 January 1780) was a Japanese painter in the ukiyo-e style, primarily depicting kabuki actors, geisha, sumo wrestlers, and other elements of everyday urban culture.