A legend about Abbot Yūten (1637–1718) of Zōjōji Temple tells how, as a novice, he prayed for Fudō Myōō’s aid to become a wise monk. He then dreamed that the statue of Fudō leaped down from its pedestal and made him swallow one of his swords; upon waking, he became an excellent cleric. In this scene, Fudō aims his sword at Yūten while the deity’s attendants witness his magical power.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi was one of the great innovators of Meiji ukiyo-e; here, his triptych features an airy, theatrical type of composition associated with his late style, with a hint of the violence that characterized many of his earlier works.
Fudō Myōō Threatening a Novice
Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japanese, 1839–1892)
Period: Meiji period (1868–1912)
Date: 1885
Culture: Japan
Medium: Triptych of polychrome woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Dimensions: Overall (a): 14 3/4 x 10 in. (37.5 x 25.4 cm)
Overall (b): 14 5/8 x 10 in. (37.1 x 25.4 cm)
Overall (c): 14 15/16 x 10 1/16 in. (37.9 x 25.6 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2005
Accession Number: 2005.350a–c
Description
CLOSE
-
Captions
-
');