Taking Shelter from the Rain

Teisai Hokuba Japanese

Not on view

Travelers caught in a sudden downpour take shelter under the eaves of a gate at a large estate. Men and women from different walks of life—a flower vendor, a bookseller with a stack of books, assorted pilgrims, a lion-dance performer, and a warrior—huddle under the roof. A restless child, untroubled by the rainstorm, hangs upside down from a beam.

This painting is based on a pictorial theme made popular by Hanabusa Itchō (1652–1724), who rendered the scene to represent the summer season in various formats (including a screen in the Burke Collection). The style here adheres neither to Hokuba’s usual hypermeticulous depictions of women of the pleasure quarters nor to his landscapes inspired by Kano-school paintings, but perhaps was directly inspired by Itchō or one of his followers.

Taking Shelter from the Rain, Teisai Hokuba (Japanese, 1771–1844), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Taking Shelter from the Rain, Teisai Hokuba (Japanese, 1771–1844), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan
Taking Shelter from the Rain, Teisai Hokuba (Japanese, 1771–1844), Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.