A Practical Joke
ca. 1782
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
14 1/8 x 9 9/16in. (35.9 x 24.3cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP924
Tags
Art Historical Context
Torii Kiyonaga (1752–1815), a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") from Japan's Torii school, created *A Practical Joke* around 1782 during the vibrant Edo period (1615–1868). This woodblock print, in ink and color on paper, measures 14 1/8 x 9 9/16 inches and captures a lighthearted moment among women, reflecting the era's fascination with everyday pleasures, urban life, and feminine beauty. kiyo-e prints like this one were revolutionary for their accessibility—produced via intricate woodblock carving and hand-coloring, they brought art to the masses beyond elite circles....
About the Artist
Torii Kiyonaga · 1752–1815
Torii Kiyonaga, born Sekiguchi Shinsuke in 1752 in Uraga, Sagami Province, was the son of an Edo bookseller who owned tenements near a bustling fish market. At age 14 in 1765, he began his apprenticeship under Torii Kiyomitsu, the third-generation head of the prestigious Torii school of ukiyo-e, renowned for kabuki theater illustrations and signage. Adopted into the Torii family, Kiyonaga succeede...