Shōki the Demon Queller
After Kawai Gyokudō Japanese
Not on view
Shōki (Chinese: Zhong Kui) is a mythical queller of demons. He traditionally appears as a bearded figure in a scholar’s cap and large boots, subduing one or more demonic beings—here a demon scampers across the upper mounting of the painting. The signature includes a cyclical date associated with 1931 and fancifully uses the name of Kawai Gyokudō, a famous painter who was known to paint images of this auspicious subject. Close inspection reveals that the “mounting” is actually part of the painting, executed in a tromp l’oeil manner to replicate a traditional hanging-scroll mounting made from separate pieces of silk. Both Shōki and irises were associated with Boys’ Day, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
