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
JP3587
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu created this striking triptych, *Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men)*, in 1897 during Japan’s Meiji period. The work depicts scenes at Chiyoda Castle—another name for the historic Edo Castle in Tokyo—featuring groups of men in traditional attire. As part of an album format, it captures a sense of historical grandeur at a time when Japan was rapidly modernizing under the new imperial era. The piece is executed as a triptych of woodblock prints in ink and color on paper, a technique that allowed artists to produce vibrant, large-scale compositions by printing multiple sheets that could be displayed together. This medium, rooted in centuries of ukiyo-e tradition, highlights Chikanobu’s skill in balancing detailed figural groups with architectural elements, creating an immersive view of castle life. Today, the album serves as a valuable record of Meiji-era interest in Japan’s feudal past. Its focus on male figures and castle settings offers visitors insight into how artists of the time preserved cultural memory through accessible print formats.
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 ...