Artwork
Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine (Kamo kurabeuma zu)
Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine (Kamo kurabeuma zu) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine (Kamo kurabeuma zu) is a Japanese painted scroll that depicts a bustling equestrian competition set within the precincts of the Kamo Shrine. The composition is divided into several horizontal panels that together portray spectators, musicians, riders, and surrounding architecture in a single continuous narrative scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work records a traditional horse‑racing festival associated with the Kamo shrine rites, illustrating both the athletic contest and the surrounding celebratory atmosphere. Figures on terraces, musicians, and onlookers positioned on elevated platforms highlight the communal nature of the event, while the inclusion of a river and nearby buildings situates the race within a specific sacred landscape.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink and color on paper, the scroll employs a restrained palette of earthy browns and greens for the background, punctuated by vivid reds and blues on clothing and decorative elements. The artist arranges numerous figures in a compressed, rhythmic layout, using patterned borders that frame the scene like a window and guide the viewer’s eye across the sequential panels.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its provenance prior to acquisition by the museum is not detailed in the provided information, but the work represents a documented example of Edo‑period festival imagery preserved in a museum setting.
Artist & collection
