Famous Places in the East: The Ancient story of Umewaka at the Sumida River
Artist
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 月岡 芳年
(Japanese, 1839–1892)
DateJuly 1883
Mediumwoodblock print, ink and color on paper
DimensionsOban Triptych: 35.5 × 71.8 cm (14 × 28 1/4 in.)
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineAlexander H. Bullock Fund
Object number2002.238
DescriptionIn the Noh play Sumidagawa (named after a river that runs through Tokyo), a distraught noblewoman searches for her son who was kidnapped by slave traders, but only finds his grave. Depicting a moment just before his death, the beautiful youth raises his arm in defense as an armed man approaches. The moonlight illuminates the sky and the cherry blossoms, a trademark sight along the Sumida’s banks and symbols of fleeting beauty and ephemeral life. The unusual light effects, modeling, and depiction of the faces show that this work is from the Meiji period (1868–1912), recounting a historical event rather than a theatrical version on a stage.Label TextIn the Noh play Sumidagawa (named after a river that runs through Tokyo), a distraught noblewoman searches for her son who was kidnapped by slave traders, but only finds his grave. Depicting a moment just before his death, the beautiful youth raises his arm in defense as an armed man approaches. The moonlight illuminates the sky and the cherry blossoms, a trademark sight along the Sumida’s banks and symbols of fleeting beauty and ephemeral life. The unusual light effects, modeling, and depiction of the faces show that this work is from the Meiji period (1868–1912), recounting a historical event rather than a theatrical version on a stage.ProvenanceKatie and Scott McDonald, Rochester, NY
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