Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges)

Why it's great

Purple irises with green leaves grow in a zigzag across a folding screen of glittering gold, with a bridge made of eight planks. Ogata Kōrin painted this around 1710 based on a famous story from The Tales of Ise, a classic Japanese tale. The flat shapes and rich colors are like a beautiful pattern. It's one of the most famous Japanese paintings and a national treasure in Japan.

👀 Look closer!

The irises zigzag across the screen. Can you find the bridge?

Where to see it

📍 Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York City, United States

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Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 964 × 894 px · 0.9 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. Try the museum's own site below for a bigger file. File page & license ↗ · Open-access images at The Met ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

Ogata Kōrin

1658–1716 · born in Heian-kyō

Ogata Kōrin was born in Kyoto into a rich family of fabric merchants and became one of Japan's greatest decorative painters. He founded the Rinpa style of bold shapes and gold leaf. His folding screens, such as 'Red and White Plum Blossoms', are national treasures. He died in Kyoto in 1716.