Artwork preview

The Actor Bando Hikosaburo in the role of Asahi na Saburo Breaking Open the Castle Door

Okumura Masanobu

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a man in traditional Japanese armor. The man has a large head of hair and a beard. He wears a helmet with a face guard and a large, ornate chest plate. His armor consists of red, gold, and black horizontal stripes. He also wears matching leg armor. The man is positioned in a dynamic stance, with his right leg bent in front of him and his left leg behind him. His right arm is raised, and his left arm is lowered, both bent at the elbow. He appears to be breaking open a large, ornate door. The door is set into a stone wall, with a roof overhanging above. A small inset panel is on the right side of the image. It displays a color gradient with letters and numbers. A box of foreign script is at the bottom of the image. The background appears to be a beige surface.

Artwork Details

Date
ca. 1730
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
392 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette