painting;
hanging scroll
- Museum number
- 1946,0209,0.48
- Description
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Painting, hanging scroll. Skeletons dancing; one skeleton seated and playing shamisen beneath broken paper; other skeletons, some with bamboo swords at their sides, others with towels bound around their foreheads, enjoying music and dancing. Ink and colour on silk. Signed and sealed.
- Production date
- 1871-1889
- Dimensions
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Height: 213.50 centimetres (mount)
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Height: 135.60 centimetres
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Width: 88.20 centimetres (mount)
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Width: 66 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- Hizo Nihon bijutsu taikan Vol 3
Kawanabe Kyosai's (1831-89) artistic talent had an astonishing range, extending from orthodox pictures founded in the Kano style to humorous and satirical pictures, full of wit, in the manner of ukiyo-e artist Kuniyoshi.
The present work is a lighthearted play on the skeleton theme that occurs in so many of his works. Beneath a broken paper lantern, to the stylish strumming of a samisen, a skeleton wearing a cotton towel on its head like a low-class prostitute holds the bare ribs of an open fan to its mouth to conceal a laugh. Prompted by the music of the same samisen, other skeletons, some with bamboo swords at their sides, others with towels bound around their foreheads, join in a wild dance. Such themes, found also in his 'Kyosai manga', published in 1881, are a speciality of this artist.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1946
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1946,0209,0.48
- Additional IDs
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Asia painting number: Jap.Ptg.Add.230 (Japanese Painting Additional Number)
