The Hand-Drum Player, from an untitled series of five musicians c. 1780s

This woodblock print, "The Hand-Drum Player," is one of five from an untitled series depicting musicians created by Kitao Shigemasa in the 1780s. The work portrays a figure seated in a relaxed posture while holding a hand-drum and gazing slightly to the side, a typical stylistic element of ukiyo-e prints. This genre, literally translated as "pictures of the floating world," focused on the lives of the everyday person in Edo period Japan and became a popular art form. This print captures a moment of beauty in everyday life and exemplifies the skilled techniques of woodblock printing.