The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter | Japan | Edo period (1615–1868) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2024)

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Visiting Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion? Crop your artwork: Scan your QR code: Artwork Details Learn more about this artwork Timeline of Art History Japan, 1600-1800 A.D. Related Artworks Scenes from Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari) Scenes from the Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari) Covered Box for Volumes Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari) Album of Twelve Waka from Poetry Competition of Poets of Different Eras Resources for Research Feedback Asian Art at The Met

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Japan

late 17th century

Not on view

In the classical narrative depicted here, a baby found in a glowing bamboo stalk by an old bamboo cutter grows to be a woman of unearthly beauty. Unwilling to marry, Kaguya-hime (The Shining Princess) sets her suitors tasks they are unable to fulfill. The emperor desires her, but she reveals that she is from the moon and will soon return there. Although the emperor sends soldiers to guard her, a retinue from the moon arrives and ascends to the moon with her.

The lacquer storage box for these three volumes is decorated with a maki-e (“sprinkled picture”) design of a bamboo grove, two birds, and the crest of the Tokugawa family.

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter | Japan | Edo period (1615–1868) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (3)

Artwork Details

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竹取物語

Title: The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

Period: Edo period (1615–1868)

Date: late 17th century

Culture: Japan

Medium: Hand-illustrated set of three volumes; ink, color, gold, and silver on paper

Dimensions: 9 1/8 x 6 9/16 in. (23.2 x 16.7 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1921

Accession Number: 21.174.1a–c

Learn more about this artwork

Timeline of Art History

Chronology

Japan, 1600-1800 A.D.

Related Artworks

All Related Artworks
Asian Art
Books
Gold
Ink
Metal
Paintings
Paper
Silver
From Asia
From Japan
From A.D. 1600–1800

Scenes from Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari)

Tosa School

late 18th century

Scenes from the Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari)

Tosa School

late 18th century

Covered Box for Volumes

late 17th century

Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari)

18th century

Album of Twelve Waka from Poetry Competition of Poets of Different Eras

Calligraphy traditionally attributed to Emperor Go-Yōzei (Japanese, 1571–1617) and eleven others

early 17th century

Resources for Research

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Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.