Shamisen (三味線)

ca. 1875

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 681

This plucked instrument is often played with a large plectrum. The shamisen’s belly amplifies the sound of the strings and is sometimes struck with the plectrum when playing, creating a percussive sound. The shamisen can be heard in nagauta, narrative songs, Bunraku, Kabuki, and koto chamber music, where it is called sangen.

Artwork Details

Title: Shamisen (三味線)
Maker: Shigemoto, Isohachi
Date: ca. 1875
Geography: Tokyo, Ueno district, Japan
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Wood, cloth, skin
Dimensions: 37 13/16 × 7 13/16 × 3 11/16 in. (96 × 19.9 × 9.3 cm)
Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-unfretted
Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Object Number: 89.4.106
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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