Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men)
Medium
Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
L. (page) 13 7/8 in. (35.2 cm); W. (page) 9 1/4 in. (23.4 cm); thickness of album 1 9/16 in. (4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. W. Walton Butterworth, 1979
Accession Number
JP3576
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Chiyoda Castle ( of Men)**, created in 1897 by Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chobu, is a stunningptych from a woodblock print album housed in the Metropolitan Museum of's Asian Art collection. This Meiji-period work (1868–1912) dynamic scenes of men at Chiyoda Castle— Edo Castle, the imperial residence—with tags highlighting horses, animals, and. Chikanobu, a master of ukiyo, skillfully renders equestrian pursuits and martial vigor in vibrant ink and color on paper, evoking the grandeur of Japan's warrior past amid rapid modernization. Woodblock triptychs like this allowed artists to unfold panoramic narratives across three sheets, a technique perfected in the Edo period but cherished into Meiji times. Chikanobu's precise carving and layering of colors bring life to galloping horses and poised figures, showcasing the labor-intensive process where blocks were inked separately for each hue. The album format, with pages measuring about 14 by 9 inches, invited intimate viewing, blending historical nostalgia with contemporary printing finesse. Culturally, it reflects Meiji Japan's tension between tradition and change, romanticizing samurai life as Western influences reshaped society. A gift to the Met in 1979, this piece invites visitors to gallop through history, appreciating ukiyo-e's enduring allure. (198 words)
About the Artist
Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu · 1838–1912
Toyohara Chikanobu, born Hashimoto Naoyoshi in 1838 in Echigo Province (modern Niigata Prefecture), emerged as one of the last great ukiyo-e masters during Japan's Meiji era. The son of a low-ranking samurai retainer to the Sakakibara clan, he trained initially in the Kanō school of painting before turning to ukiyo-e printmaking. He studied under a disciple of Keisai Eisen, then joined the studio ...