Collections Database

Description:
aiban tate-e; nishiki-e

Label Text:
The scene in the upper panel is from the legend of Princess Tamatori, or Ama. According to legend, Ama vows to recover a pearl stolen by the Dragon God, Ryūjin, for her husband and son. On reclaiming the treasure, she comes under attack by Ryūjin’s faithful sea creatures, here depicted as an attacking octopus. Ama wields a knife, cutting open her breast to place the pearl inside for safekeeping. Her blood loss clouds the water and aids her escape, but ultimately causes her death. In the lower half of the print, a goblin-like figure, possibly a kappa, draws water for the bath of the Thunder God, Raikō, who is traditionally shown beating his drums to create thunder. Here, he leaves his red and yellow drums off to the left, as he relaxes in his bath.
-BB, ed., 2015

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=AC+2005.918

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