Arashiyama, from the series "Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue)"
1898
Medium
Color woodblock print
Dimensions
Approx: 25.2 × 37.4 cm (10 × 15 3/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
155013
Art Historical Context
Tsukioka Kôgyo (1869–1927), a leading Japanese printmaker of the Meiji, created *Arashiyama* as part of his renowned series *Pictures of Noances (Nogaku Z)* in 1898. This woodblock print captures a dramatic moment from the classical Noh play *Arashiyama*, showcasing the intricate world of Noh theater—one of Japan's oldest performing arts, dating back to the 14th century. Kôo's work preserves the elegance of Noh performers in their elaborate silk costumes, carved wooden masks, and stylized poses, bridging traditional kabuki influences with the more austere aesthetic of Noh. Printed on a sheet ...
About the Artist
Tsukioka Kôgyo · 1869–1927
Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869–1927), born Hanyū Bennosuke in Tokyo's bustling Nihonbashi district as the second son of an innkeeper family, navigated a path from humble origins to mastery in Japanese printmaking. After his father's early death, he was raised by his mother's Sakamaki family and apprenticed in pottery painting under his uncle, a ceramics exporter in Yokohama. He briefly attended the Tokyo Sc...