A Modern Version of Urashima Taro
1730s
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; hosoban, urushi-e
Dimensions
30.2 × 14.7 cm (11 3/4 × 5 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
110746
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of th-century Edo Japan, Torii Kiyomasu II crafted *A Modern Version of Ur Taro*, a hand-colored woodblock print from the1730s. This hosoban-format piece—narrow and intimate at 30.2 × 14.7 cm—reimagines the beloved folktale of Urashima T, the fisherman who rescues a magical turtle and journeys to the Dragon King's underwater palace, only to age centuries upon his return. Kiyomasu II, from the pioneering Torii school of ukiyo-e artists, infuses the scene with contemporary flair, likely drawing from kabuki theater's dramatic adaptations to appeal to urban audiences craving e...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomasu II · 1706–1763
At one point this artist was incorrectly identified as Kiyonobu II.