Artwork
“Takebun,” from the Musical Drama “The New Piece” (Shinkyoku)
“Takebun,” from the Musical Drama “The New Piece” (Shinkyoku) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1617 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
“Takebun,” from the Musical Drama “The New Piece” (Shinkyoku) is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is located.
“Takebun,” from the Musical Drama “The New Piece” (Shinkyoku) is a painting dated to 1617, made in Japan. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located. The sources do not provide further details on the chain of ownership prior to its acquisition by the museum, nor on any commission or specific circumstances of its creation.
“Takebun,” from the Musical Drama “The New Piece” (Shinkyoku) is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is located. The painting, dated 1617 and made in Japan, is attributed to an anonymous painter and is classified as a painting.
No specific inventory or accession number, and no exhibition history, is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
The work titled “Takebun,” created for the musical drama Shinkyoku, presents a broad, flattened landscape dominated by gentle hills, a meandering river, and a sky dotted with sparse clouds. Small groups of figures move on foot, on horseback, or gather near modest structures and trees, all set against a luminous gold ground that suggests warm daylight.
Subject & Meaning
The composition appears to depict a narrative moment from the stage production, with travelers and performers traversing the terrain, perhaps enacting a scene of communal activity or pilgrimage. The arrangement of figures and architecture hints at a story unfolding within an open, pastoral setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in a palette of earthy golds, muted greens, and soft blues, the painting employs flat areas of color outlined in darker tones, reinforcing its two‑dimensional quality. The gold background functions both as a unifying field and as a visual metaphor for sunlight, while the simplified forms convey a stylized, decorative aesthetic typical of Japanese theatrical artwork.
Artist & collection
