Minneapolis Institute of Art
Flower Thief
Katsushika Hokusai; Publisher: Tsutaya JūzaburōLinkedCulture matchlcp-bb8f26f9841a
- Date
- c. 1790
- Medium
- Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
- Department
- Asian Art
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Object ID
- 62904
From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record
The play Flower Thief is about a samurai and his not very capable attendant. During an excursion to enjoy cherry blossoms, the samurai breaks off a small flowering branch to take home. A thief appears and snatches the spray from him. The samurai orders his attendant to retrieve it, but time and again, the thief outsmarts the attendant. The play includes many comical exchanges between the irritated samurai, his dim-witted attendant, and the sly thief. For this print, Hokusai depicted a scene in which the attendant tries to make a rope so that he can tie-up the thief, who is being held down by his master. The facial features of each man convey the comical nature of the play. Japan, Asia
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.
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