The Immortal Kume

1760s
Not on view
This narrow vertical print depicts Kume, a flying immortal who is said to have once come across a beautiful woman and tumbled from the sky. Here, having just encountered her, Kume appears in the guise of a Chinese court official, probably Zhong Kui (Japanese: Shōki), the legendary queller of demons. He lowers a tiny demon holding an even smaller love letter down to the woman bathing in a stream below.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 鈴木春信画 仙人図
  • Title: The Immortal Kume
  • Artist: Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1725–1770)
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: 1760s
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Woodblock print (hashira-e); ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 27 1/2 in. (69.9 cm); W. 4 13/16 in. (12.2 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
  • Object Number: JP1656
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

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 complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.