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Photo: Beth Mann
An Otsu-e artist and his painting subjects
Photo: Beth Mann

An Otsu-e artist and his painting subjects

Date1853
Label TextIn this work, the preeminent print artist Kuniyoshi imagines his artistic forebear Iwasa Matabei (1578–1650), also known as Ukiyo Matabei, or “Matabei of the Floating World,” in his studio. A crowd of his pictorial subjects, which include many of the most popular characters from Ōtsu-e, have come to life. They include demons, a monkey, the Wisteria Maiden, as well as Daikoku, the God of Good Fortune, who is shown shaving the head of Jurōjin, the God of Longevity.
Object number53.141
Photo CreditPhoto: Beth Mann
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Deities & Demons: Supernatural in Japanese Art, October 20, 2022 – May 18, 2025 (on view December 7, 2024 – May 18, 2025).
Credit LineGift of Capt. D. W. Carpenter
Dimensions14 1/4 x 9 7/8 in. (36.2 x 25.08 cm)
MediumWoodblock print