Description:
vertical ōban; ōban tate-e; nishiki-e; meisho-e; bijinga
Label Text:
In this design, a beautiful woman stands near the snow-covered Umewaka Mound, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site. According to legend, the young boy Umewakamaru, for whom the locale is named, was kidnapped and smuggled north in order to be sold. He died on the banks of the Sumida River, here visible in the background. The memorial mound named after him became a place where mothers prayed for their children’s good fortune. In the river, Kuniyasu has placed three mandarin ducks, a divergence from their conventional pairings in East Asian art, in which they figure as symbols of eternal fidelity. The addition of the third duck could be a reference to the story of Umewakamaru’s once-complete and happy family. The circular kiwame seal of the censor, a necessity in publicly sold prints, is visible at the lower left.
- BB, ed., 2015
This print is signed "Kuniyasu ga" ('drawn by Kuniyasu') at lower-right. The circular kiwame seal of the censor is visible to the lower-left of the central figure. The series title and the location of this "famous site" ('meisho') are named in the circular red cartouche at top-left.
Umewaka Mound is a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site with special significane for mothers. It is named after a young boy, Umewakamaru. According to the story, which dates to the late 10th century ACE, the youth became a monk at age five, following the death of his father, and took up residence in a monastery in Kyoto. After seven years at the temple, he was kidnapped and smuggled north in order to be sold. However, the poor Umewakamaru died on the banks of the Sumida River, pictured here. The memorial mound built in the temple complex is to this day a place for mothers to pray for good fortune for their children. In ukiyo-e from the Edo period, Umewaka Mound is often denoted with a willow tree; one is visible here, looming large to the left of the main temple structure. Kuniyasu has added what appears to be the figure of a woman walking toward it to emphasize this aspect of the site. Further, the three ducks swimming in the river might also be a reference to the story of Umewakamaru. In Japanese art, ducks are traditionally depicted in pairs. The addition of a third here could be a clever (and moving) nod to Umewakamaru's once-complete and happy family. This motif is repeated in the layers of the beauty's kimono: the innermost layer features ducks, while the other layer is covered with pairs of turtles, who have similar resonances in Japanese art and folklore. - BB, 2013
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2005.321 |
