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The Spider Monster Creating Monsters in the Mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu

Woodblock Print
1843 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) was a master of the triptych format and a highly accomplished exponent of the musha-e or 'warrior print' genre. In this triptych he deals with a legend about Minamoto no Yorimitsu that was adopted by the Noh theatre. Yorimitsu is attacked by a spider monster when he is ill in bed, but slays it with the help of his four senior retainers. When the print was published, a rumour circulated that it was meant to satirize the backward-looking Tempo Reforms promoted by the government at the time. Neither the artist nor the publisher were punished, however.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Spider Monster Creating Monsters in the Mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour woodblock print
Brief description
Japanese print: Utagawa Kuniyoshi: 'The Spider Monster Creating Monsters in the Mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu'; triptych; 1843
Physical description
This work deals with a legend about Minamoto no Yorimitsu that was adopted by the Noh theatre. Yorimitsu is attacked by a spider monster when he is ill in bed, but slays it with the help of his four senior samurai.
Triptych: three oban-size sheets. Signature: Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburo
Dimensions
  • Height: 34.6cm
  • Width: 72.7cm
Style
Object history
Purchased from S. M. Franck & Co., accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Summary
Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) was a master of the triptych format and a highly accomplished exponent of the musha-e or 'warrior print' genre. In this triptych he deals with a legend about Minamoto no Yorimitsu that was adopted by the Noh theatre. Yorimitsu is attacked by a spider monster when he is ill in bed, but slays it with the help of his four senior retainers. When the print was published, a rumour circulated that it was meant to satirize the backward-looking Tempo Reforms promoted by the government at the time. Neither the artist nor the publisher were punished, however.
Collection
Accession number
E.10535-1886

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Record createdDecember 8, 2002
Record URL
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