Parody of Hachinoki
Artist/Maker
Kitao Shigemasa 北尾重政
(Japanese, 1739–1820)
Publisher
Urokogataya Magobei 鱗形屋孫兵衛
Date1764–72
MediumColor woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
DimensionsHashira-e; overall: 28 1/8 × 4 1/8 in. (71.4 × 10.5 cm)
Credit LineMary A. Ainsworth Bequest
Object number1950.294
Status
Not on viewA young lady sweeps the accumulated snow from the roof of a wooden gate. She wears a kimono with a beautiful pattern of cranes and pines, a symbol of longevity.
A similar composition by the artist Harunobu is known to be an illustration of the nō play Hachinoki, and this one may be as well. The play is set in the 13th century: a monk caught in a huge snowstorm stays overnight at the home of an impoverished couple, where he receives kind consideration and hospitality. The couple even use their treasured potted trees for kindling to light a fire for the monk. Later in the play it is revealed that the host was none other than Sano Genzaemon Tsuneyo, a samurai warrior and former lord, and the monk is Hōjō Tokiyori, the regent of Kamakura, traveling in disguise.
Exhibition History
A similar composition by the artist Harunobu is known to be an illustration of the nō play Hachinoki, and this one may be as well. The play is set in the 13th century: a monk caught in a huge snowstorm stays overnight at the home of an impoverished couple, where he receives kind consideration and hospitality. The couple even use their treasured potted trees for kindling to light a fire for the monk. Later in the play it is revealed that the host was none other than Sano Genzaemon Tsuneyo, a samurai warrior and former lord, and the monk is Hōjō Tokiyori, the regent of Kamakura, traveling in disguise.
Visions of Turmoil and Tranquility: Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Collection
- Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (September 17, 2005 - December 23, 2005 )
Marking Time: Seasonal Imagery in Japanese Prints
- Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (August 9, 2016 - May 21, 2017 )
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
- Chiba City Museum of Art, Chiba, Japan (April 13, 2019 - May 25, 2019 )
- Shizuoka City Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan (June 8, 2019 - July 28, 2019 )
- Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka, Japan (August 10, 2019 - September 29, 2019 )
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
- Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (January 14, 2020 - December 6, 2020 )
Collections
- Asian
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator. Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object?
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late 19th century
late 19th century
late 19th–early 20th century
late 19th century