Otsu-e Painting: Benkei

17th-18th century

Otsu-e got their name from the town of Otsu, a popular destination for pilgrims in the 17th–19th centuries. As souvenirs for travelers, Otsu-e paintings were made to be inexpensive, simple, and easily reproducible, characteristics that are at the core of Yanagi’s criterion of beauty. These two examples show Benkei (the priest warrior) and Wisteria girl (an ideal beauty), both recognizable figures that were commonly depicted in Otsu-e. This genre of painting commonly expressed good morals and duties but was sometimes also seen as satirically parodying the elite.

Ink and color on paper

23 7/8 x 8 5/8 in. (60.64 x 21.91 cm)

Overall h.: 54 in.

Overall w.: 10 1/4 in.

Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection

49.586

Photo: Beth Mann

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Exceptionally Ordinary: Mingei 1920–2020, Dec. 14, 2019 - Sept. 6, 2021.

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