Mitate-e of Courtesan Eguchi, parodying Fugen Bosatsu, seated astride an elephant

Object Details

• Artist

  Kobayashi Kiyochika 小林清親 (1847-1915)

• Description

  The subject of this scroll reflects a thirteenth-century Japanese account recorded in the Senjusho of an encounter between the monk and poet Saigyo and the courtesan Eguchi, who was one of many prostitutes living in the town Eguchi along the Yodo River. The scene depicts a subject often treated in Ukiyo-e paintings of beauties: the courtesan Eguchi seated on an elephant in parody of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Fugen). Scroll contained in original wooden box with lid and painted inscription.

• Signatures

  Signed Kiyochika; Sealed Kiyo.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase from the Estate of Robert O. Muller — funds provided by the Friends of the National Museum of Asian Art and the Harold P. Stern Memorial Fund

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1860s

• Name

  Kobayashi, Kiyochika

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Fugen, Art, Animals, Japanese Art, Courtesan, Ukiyo-e, Monk, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), Elephants, Kakemono

• Culture

  Buddhists, Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings