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Father and Son Reunited: a scene from Utsubo Monogatari [Tales of a Hollow Tree]

Japanese

Artwork Details

Father and Son Reunited: a scene from Utsubo Monogatari [Tales of a Hollow Tree]
circa 1820
Japanese
color woodblock print with gauffrage (blind printing) and silver pigment on paper
8 5/8 x 7 ½ in. (21.91 x 19.05 cm);19 x 14 in. (48.26 x 35.56 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by Mary Palmer
2004/2.146

Description

Subject Matter:

This print depicts a scene from the popular tale Utsubo Monogatari [Tales of a Hollow Tree]—the oldest extant full-length story known in Japan. This scene depicts the moment when Nakatada, the grandson of the main character Toshikage, encounters his estranged father, Kanemasa, the son of the Grand Minister. Nakatada's mother raised Nakatada in the hollow of a tree, and after years of separation, Kanemasa stumbles upon the tree and is enchanted by the sound of Nakatada playing the koto.

Usage Rights:

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