Okazaki, 1855, 4th month
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.expand_more P.75.51.302
Not on Viewexpand_more
Minamoto Yoshitsune was a warrior who lived in the late 12th century. His father was killed by a rival clan when he was a child and, together with his mother and brother, he was sent into exile. As a young adult he became a powerful warrior and avenged his father's death. Later, however, he was betrayed by his brother and died at the age of thirty, becoming one of Japan's great tragic heroes. Many legends arose about Yoshitsune's life, and these became popular themes for Kabuki and puppet plays. One such story involves the beautiful daughter of a wealthy man in the town of Yahagi near the great bridge of Okazaki pictured by Hiroshige in this print. Known as princess Jo_ruri, the woman is said to have had a one-night love affair with the young Yoshitsune. Later, when he was ill and exhausted from combat, she nursed him back to health. Here, the two young lovers are depicted by Kunisada as if sneaking off for a secret tryst.
Details
- Title
- Okazaki
- Artist Life
- 1797 - 1858
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.75.51.302
- Catalogue Raisonne
- S0432-039; T79-39
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.