Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

The Abundance of the Mountains

1765
Not on view
Printed books of popular subjects were widely available in the remarkable literate and urban society of the Edo period. Novels, classic literature and poetry collections were printed in simple line drawings with text in the fluid lines of Japanese kana calligraphy, mixed with characters in grass, or sōsho script. There were many experiments in format; often all or part of the story would be told in the illustrations , supplemented by sections of text in the margins. Women as well as men avidly enjoyed these works.

Books printed in color, such as Ryūsai's famous Yama no sachi, were usually private productions of a group of poets. They pair illustrations and poems in a beautiful balance of color, composition and diction. The high quality of the printing is equaled only by the erudition and wit of the visual and verbal play between past and present conventions (shukō) on the page.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Abundance of the Mountains
  • Artist: Katsuma Ryūsai
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: 1765
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Two volumes; polychrome woodblock printed book
  • Dimensions: Each: 10 7/8 × 7 3/4 × 3/8 in. (27.6 × 19.7 × 1 cm)
  • Classification: Illustrated Books
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1918
  • Object Number: JIB54a, b
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Helmet (<i>Zukinnari Kabuto</i>), Iron, lacquer, Japanese
Helmet (Zukinnari Kabuto)
Japanese
16th century
The Water Margin, Woodblock-printed book; ink on paper, China
The Water Margin
China
ca. 1610–40
Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), Saotome Ietada Japanese, Iron, lacquer, silk, gilt copper, Japanese
Armor (Gusoku)
Armorer Helmet bowl signed Saotome Ietada
Armorer Breastplate inscribed inside, Myōchin Munesuke
16th and 18th centuries
Page from Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy, Hu Zhengyan , and others Chinese, Individual leaf from a woodblock-printed book; ink and color on paper, China
Page from Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy
Hu Zhengyan
first edition printed in 1633
Koto (箏), Metalwork by Goto Teijo, 9th generation Goto master, Japan Japanese, Various woods, ivory and tortoiseshell inlays, gold and silver inlays, metalwork, cloth, laquer, paper,, Japanese
Koto (箏)
Metalwork by Goto Teijo, 9th generation Goto master, Japan
Workshop of Gotō Yūjō
early 17th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.