Artwork

The Warrior Asahina Yoshihide Lifting a Puppet of a Courtesan on a Go Board

The Warrior Asahina Yoshihide Lifting a Puppet of a Courtesan on a Go Board is an unspecified painting by the Ukiyo-e artist Torii Kiyoshige. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

This warrior print by Torii Kiyoshige is a woodblock (ukiyo-e) painting executed around 1750.

This warrior print by Torii Kiyoshige is a woodblock (ukiyo-e) painting executed around 1750. The composition relies on flat, sharply defined color planes and bold contour lines characteristic of early Torii school prints, with the warrior's dynamic pose and the puppet's stylized courtesan rendered in a deliberately exaggerated manner.

Stylistically, the image favors graphic clarity over naturalistic modeling, using strong black outlines and discrete areas of color to separate figure from ground. The go board and puppet are depicted with flat patterns and minimal shading, while the warrior's garments employ subtle gradations of tone within the same restricted palette. The overall effect emphasizes dramatic action and decorative line over volumetric illusion.

History & Provenance

The painting The Warrior Asahina Yoshihide Lifting a Puppet of a Courtesan on a Go Board was created by the artist Torii Kiyoshige in 1750 in Japan. The Metropolitan Museum of Art currently holds the piece in its collection. No further details regarding the original commission, specific patron, chain of ownership prior to museum acquisition, accession number, or exhibition history are provided in the available records.

Overview

This painting, titled The Warrior Asahina Yoshihide Lifting a Puppet of a Courtesan on a Go Board, was created by Torii Kiyoshige around 1750. The artwork features a dynamic composition centered on a male figure interacting with a small puppet on a go board, observed by other characters. It is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork presents three distinct figures: a woman in a red and black garment, a man in a green robe, and a child. The central action shows the man, presumably the warrior Asahina Yoshihide, lifting a small puppet of a woman from a go board. This puppet bears a resemblance to the larger female figure positioned above.

This visual parallel may allude to narratives or social commentary regarding perception, representation, or the treatment of individuals.