Nakamura Shikan IV as Sakata Kintoki and Onoe Baikō (Kakunosuke) as Usui Sadamitsu (R); Sawamura Tanosuke III as Usugumo, Actually the Spirit of a Spider (Jitsu wa kumo no sei) (C); Nakamura Chūtarō as Urabe no Suetake and Ichikawa Kuzō III as Watanabe no Tsuna (L) 「坂田金時　中村芝翫」 「臼井貞光　尾上梅幸」 「傾城薄雲実は蜘の性　沢村田之助」 「卜部季武　中村仲太郎」 「渡辺ノ綱　市川九蔵」

Object Details

• Artist

  Utagawa Toyokuni IV 四代目歌川豊国 (1823-1880)

• Publisher

  Iseya Kanekichi 伊勢屋兼吉 (ca. 1837 – 1875)

• Label

  Minamoto Yorimitsu (948–1021) (also known as Raikō) had the reputation of the “demon slayer” of Kyoto, vanquishing the monsters that plagued the capital with his four loyal followers. One of these creatures was the tsuchigumo, or “earth spider,” who cast a spell over the group, confusing and incapacitating them. Only Raikō was able to summon the strength to strike the spider and shatter the illusion. The story is likely based on the historical Raikō’s battles with mountain bandits, who were also referred to as tsuchigumo, because they lived in caves like spiders.

  right: Nakamura Shikan IV as Sakata Kintoki and OnoeBaikō (Kakunosuke) as Usui Sadamitsu

  center: Sawamura Tanosuke III as Usugumo, Actually the Spirit of a Spider (Jitsu wa kumo no sei)

  left: Nakamura Chūtarō as Urabe no Suetake and Ichikawa Kuzō III as Watanabe no Tsuna

• 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)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  The Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection

• Type

  Print

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1860s, 1670s, 1660s

• Name

  Utagawa, Toyokuni, Iseya, Kanekichi

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Actors and actresses, Demon, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Triptych, Go (Game), The Pearl and Seymour Moskowitz Collection

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Prints