A Private Puppet Performance

Okumura Masanobu 奥村政信 (1686-1764) · 18th century

A large private residence is the setting for this performance by itinerant puppeteers. Chanters and a musician provide vocal and musical accompaniment for the puppeteer. To the left, behind a shoji (sliding paper-covered screen) are additional puppets. The single figure in the right foreground is probably a narrator. Women of the household enjoy the performance discreetly from behind bamboo screens. The artist Masanobu incorporated principles of European perspective into this picture. Uki-e, or perspective pictures, were a specialty of this artist, who created both paintings and prints in the new style.