The artwork, titled “Hayami Sôzaemon Mitsutaka,” was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi circa 1847-1848. This woodblock print, which measures 36.4 by 25.2 centimeters, belongs to the Ukiyo-e art movement and is a genre painting. It is part of the series “Stories of the True Loyalty of the Faithful Samurai” and is currently housed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The artwork depicts a warrior, Hayami Sôzaemon Mitsutaka, in a dynamic pose. He is illustrated mid-action, as he drinks from a jug, his head tilted back and eyes closed in apparent satisfaction. The samurai is dressed in traditional attire with intricate patterns, including a black and white haori over a teal hakama. Two swords are tucked into his belt, signifying his status as a samurai. The background includes a mix of Japanese text and a white expanse, common in ukiyo-e prints, which provides context and narrative to the scene depicted. The artwork effectively captures a moment of reprieve, blending meticulous detail with a dynamic composition characteristic of Kuniyoshi’s style and the Ukiyo-e tradition.
