Men dancing, and miscellaneous figures
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1904.231
Tags
About this artwork
To 1904
Art Historical Context
Katsushika Hokus (1760–1849), one of Japan's most celebrated artists, created *Men Dancing, and Miscellaneous Figures* the vibrant Edo period (1615–8). This painting captures the lively spirit of everyday Japanese life, a hallmark of Hokusai ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), which often celebrated fleeting pleasures like theater, festivals, and dance. Though best known for woodblock prints such as *The Great Wave Kanagawa*, Hai was a master painter whose works blended dynamic compositions with keen observation of human movement. The scene depicts men in exuberant dance amid miscella...