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Attributed to Katsukawa Shunzan

Rising sun and Takasago pine (Hinode to Takasago no matsu), 1790's

Description

Maker

Title

Rising sun and Takasago pine (Hinode to Takasago no matsu)

Year

1790's

Medium

Polychrome woodblock print

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Techniques

Supports

Dimensions

Image: 23 x 24.1 cm (9 1/16 x 9 1/2 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Inscription verso, towards bottom centerin pencil: 433; in a later hand, verso, bottom right in pencil: NJX409/[Japanese Characters]

Place

Japan; Tokyo

Type

Credit

Gift of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Object Number

34.322

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

The Art of the Fan

December 7, 2001 - March 3, 2002

The story of the pine spirit Takasago (identified by the rake), who every night visited his love (represented by the broom) at Sumiyoshi, is taken from a famous Nō play. In addition to symbolizing the pines for which these two places were famous, the two spirts also stand for eternal fidelity and longevity.

Fan-Shaped Bird and Flower Prints from the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection

May 11 - June 30, 1990

The image of a bamboo broom and rake underneath an ancient pine tree alludes to a famous Noh play in which the pine spirits of Takasago and Sumiyoshi (two scenic places once blessed with beautiful pine trees) symbolize not only two of Japan's earliest, most important anthologies of poetry, the Manyoshu (8th century) and the Kokinshu (10th century), but also longevity and conjugal devotion.

In the drama, the pine spirits are personified by an elderly, loving couple. The old man, who carries a rake, journeys nightly from Sumiyoshi to visit his wife in Takasago, who holds a broom. His eternal devotion makes the theme a celebratory motif, and it is still customary to recite lines from this play at wedding ceremonies.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Rising sun and Takasago pine (Hinode to Takasago no matsu) with the accession number of 34.322. To request a higher resolution file, please submit an online request.