Artwork preview

The Messenger in Black

Katsukawa Shunshō 勝川春章

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts two men. The man on the left wears a black outfit, a white head covering, and a brown patterned sash around his waist. He holds a sword in his left hand and a long staff in his right. His right leg is bent. The man on the right wears a green robe with pink flowers and an orange robe underneath. He has a black hair bun and holds a sword in his right hand. His left hand holds a rope-like object attached to a fabric canopy or tent above. The men stand on stone steps. The background features a beige wall with darker beige shading. Japanese text appears in the bottom-right corner and upper-right corner.

Artwork Details

Medium
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
304 × 624 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette