Artwork preview

Mystical Bird (Karyōbinga)

Katsushika Hokusai

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A woman with dark hair wearing an orange kimono with white sleeves and a patterned obi, rides a large bird. The bird has orange, blue, gray and white feathers and long tailfeathers. The woman holds a flute to her mouth with both hands. She appears to be flying through the air with the bird. There are clouds behind her and to her side. Some of the clouds are dark gray and some are white. The background is off-white. There are Japanese characters on the left and to the right of the woman.

Artwork Details

Date
1820–33
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
528 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette