Artwork

大坂下り早竹虎吉|Hayatake Torakichi from Osaka: Spinning Tops in Ryogoku

大坂下り早竹虎吉|Hayatake Torakichi from Osaka: Spinning Tops in Ryogoku is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Utagawa Yoshiharu. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 2009.434.4
Credit line: Gift of Takemitsu Oba, 2009

About this work

Overview

Utagawa Yoshiharu’s woodblock print, dated 1857, portrays a casual scene set in Ryōgoku. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. The composition captures two figures engaged in a brief moment of amusement involving a spinning top.

Subject & Meaning

The image shows a seated man in a dark kimono, holding a fan, and a second figure reclined on the floor in a blue kimono, his legs lifted so his feet rest on a spinning top. The presence of the toy and relaxed postures suggest a leisurely pastime, reflecting everyday entertainment among common folk.

Technique & Style

Yoshiharu employs the traditional uki‑ukiyo woodblock method, combining line work with applied color pigments. The print’s clear delineation of clothing folds, the subtle shading of the figures, and the inclusion of Japanese characters in the background demonstrate the artist’s skill in rendering both narrative detail and decorative elements.

History & Provenance

Created during the late Edo period, the print was produced for the popular market of mass‑produced images. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings as part of its 20th‑century acquisitions of Japanese prints, where it remains on display as an example of mid‑19th‑century genre scenes.