Untitled surimono depicting Urashima Tarō and a turtle

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[Untitled surimono depicting Urashima Tarō and a turtle]

Yanagawa, [Shigenobu] [illustrated by].

[Japan: publisher unidentified, ca. late Meiji to Taishō period (1890-1920s)?].

A Meiji to Taishō-era printing of this shikishi-ban surimono illustrated by Yanagawa Shigenobu (1787-1832), one of Katsushika Hokusai's pupils. The charming woodblock print, part of Shigenobu's Kotobuki goban no uchi (Five pictures of symbols of longevity) series, shows Urashima Tarō gazing down at a small turtle. As the folktale goes, one day the fisherman Tarō saved a turtle from a group of unruly children. The turtle came back the next day to thank Tarō and offered to take him to the underwater Dragon Palace. Tarō accepted, and stayed at the palace for a few days, where he was thanked by the princess. Homesick, he told the princess he wanted to return to his family. She gave him a box, telling him never to open it, and sent him on his way. When Tarō returned to shore he was shocked and upset to see that everything had changed and that there was no sign of his family. He absentmindedly opened the box and instantly transformed into an old man. The scene in this surimono may depict the turtle returning to thank Tarō for his help. A red seal reading "Yanagawa" is printed on the right side, while a red seal reading "Seikō" (referring to the original publisher, Tani Seikō) is printed on the left side. The original print is thought to have been produced around 1823-1826. The two poems in the upper section of the print are by Mochizuki no Kagenari and Asaka no Katsumi. The light nunomezuri printing on Tarō's clothing and the beautiful orange, purple, and blue pigments used are highlights of the print.

One shikishi-ban surimono, complete. Light browning to extremities. One or two small marks. Minor stain to upper left extremity. Very light indentations to upper margin. 21.4 x 18.5 cm.

Untitled surimono depicting Urashima Tarō and a turtle
Price: $360.00 (USD)