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「楽器其三」|Biwa with Brocade Cover, from the series Musical Instruments

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai

1808

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

「楽器其三」|Biwa with Brocade Cover, from the series Musical Instruments is a 1808 ink by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai, a Romanticism work, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Ryūryūkyo Shinsai
When & what style?: 1808 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows a biwa, a pear-shaped stringed instrument, wrapped in a fancy cloth. The cloth has swirls and flowers in red, green, and gold. Next to it is a small pot with a plant, and a rolled-up scroll with some writing. The artist drew the lines carefully, making the cloth look textured. The scroll in the top corner has Japanese writing, likely a poem. This print is part of a series about musical instruments. Look up Ryūryūkyo Shinsai to see more of his detailed prints.