Komuso (Strolling Flute Player)
Suzuki Harunobu
Description
This is a portrait of a typical eighteenth century Japanese dandy who would have loafed and frequented the entertainment district. The bamboo instrument in his left hand is called a "shakuhachi", a vertical flute to be played to charm the courtesans. The tall hat in his right hand would be useful for hiding his face to avoid being recognized. In addition to the fancy lacquered wooden slippers, his robe and accessories are all fashionable products of the time.
Subject Matter:
The label copy details most of the subject matter.
The Komuso were originally a group of Japanese mendicant monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism. They flourished during the Edo period, the time this print was created, and the Fuke sect along with the Komuso was abolished in the Meiji period. That said, the musical documentation survived and has since been revived.
Physical Description:
This print depicts a man walking with a long object that appears to be a flute. He holds the flute in his left hand and a large hat in his right. There is a signature on the right towards the bottom.
Usage Rights:
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