The ghost of a fisherman

Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
March 1, 1899 -
Geography
Japan -
Material
Ink and color on paper -
Dimension
H x W: 22.9 x 33.2 cm (9 x 13 1/16 in) -
Accession Number
S2003.8.2898 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_S2003.8.2898
Object Details
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Artist
Tsukioka Kogyo 月岡耕漁 (1869-1927) -
Label
A group of monks meets the specter of Akogi, who fished in sacred waters and committed the cardinal sin of killing in a holy place. For this sin, Akogi was wrapped in a straw blanket weighted with rocks and drowned in the sea. His spirit descended to hell. The play takes a disturbing turn as Akogi recounts in detail his torments in hell. The actor’s voice is slow and pained, conveying his agony through haunting enunciation that makes this one of the most distressing plays in the noh repertoire. Eventually, the spirit is swallowed again by the waves, shouting these final lines: “Save me, traveler! Save me, traveler! I am drowning again in the waves! I am drowning again in the waves!” -
Provenance
To 2003Robert O. MullerFrom 2003National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution by gift from Robert O. Muller [1]Notes:[1] Accessioned on December 6, 2003. See Acquisition Consideration Form, in object file. From 2003-2023, the object was part of the National Museum of Asian Art’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection and on March 21, 2023, the work was internally transferred to the National Museum of Asian Art Collection. -
Collection
National Museum of Asian Art Collection -
Exhibition History
Staging the Supernatural: Ghosts and the Theater in Japanese Prints (March 23 to October 6, 2024) -
Previous custodian or owner
Robert O. Muller (1911-2003) -
Origin
Japan -
Credit Line
Robert O. Muller Collection -
Type
Print -
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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