1715
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dominant colour
Kairaishi|The Actor Ichimura Takenojo VIII in the Role of a Puppeteer, showing Puppets to a Courtesan is a 1715 ink by Torii Kiyomasu I, a Baroque work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows four figures in a room with sliding doors and shelves. A man in a loose robe holds a puppet, while a woman in a wide-sleeved kimono leans over a low table. Two others stand nearby—one in a patterned kimono, the other holding a fan. The background has a small round mirror and a framed scroll. Notice the puppet’s tiny hands and the courtesan’s focused gaze. The artist used ink lines to create depth, almost like sketching with shadows. Look up cross-hatching to see how this technique works.
Torii Kiyomasu was the shop name of a printmaker in Edo—modern Tokyo—who spent his short career plastering the city with bold, eye-catching posters.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
