Artwork preview

Group of Three Chinese Men on a Cliff by the Sea

Kuwagata Keisai

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a colored woodblock print of three men on a cliff by the sea. The man on the left wears a black robe with a yellow undergarment and an orange headband. He stands on a pile of rolled-up items, one of which appears to be a sleeping mat, and holds a pipe to his mouth with his right hand shielding his eyes. The man in the middle sits on an orange box and wears a dark robe and orange headband. He has one leg crossed over the other. The man on the right wears a brown robe with a white sash and a green pouch around his waist. He gestures with his right arm outstretched. A small birdcage sits on the ground to the right. The background shows a cliffside with trees, a sea, and rolling hills. The color palette is muted, with earth tones dominating the scene. A color scale is at the bottom.

Artwork Details

Date
1789
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
600 × 463 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette