Creative Commons License
A Poetry Reading
(Japan and Korea )
This print depicts a fairly typical poetry reading-except that sparrows are substituted for humans. A distinguished poet, seated before a folding screen, recites his poems for a private audience. His wife and children are seated near him. While most members are attentive, a mother turns to hush adolescents in the back row. In the upper left corner there are twelve "haiku" poems by different writers. These poets were probably members of a poetry club that commissioned Zeshin to design this print for a humorous New Year's greeting.
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Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Justine Lewis Keidel [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1986, by gift.
Geographies
Japan (Place of Origin)
Measurements
11 3/4 x 9 7/8 in. (29.85 x 25.08 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Justine Lewis Keidel, 1986
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
95.157