Monkey Leader and Monkey Under a Willow Tree

It was widely believed that monkeys possessed the special ability to exorcise the illnesses of horses during the Edo period of Japan (1603–1868). Monkey leaders, or trainers, were commissioned to stage performances in front of horses so they could stay healthy and strong. In this print, the willow in the background symbolizes the arrival of spring, the season when monkey leaders were most active. The willow was believed to have the power to purify the world, here referencing the act of exorcism. The gentle curves and branches of the willow echo the feminine nature of the monkey trainer, as the poem inscribed on the image indicates: “The monkey leader is gentle in the light: a willowy waist.”