Comb Rashomon (Sashigushi Rashomon), no. 3 from a series of 12 prints depicting parodies of plays
c. 1716–35
Medium
Hand-colored woodblock print; oban, sumizuri-e
Dimensions
27.2 × 38.6 cm (10 3/4 × 15 1/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
19630
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of early 18th-century Edo Japan with *Comb Rashomon (Sashigushi Rashomon, no. 3 from a series of 12 by Okumura Masobu. Created around 1716–35, this hand-colored woodblock print captures playful spirit of uki-e, the "pictures of the floating world" that celebrated theater, fashion, and urban life. Masanobu, a pioneering artist, parodies a dramatic scene inspired by the legendary Rashomon Gate—famously linked to tales of ghosts and warriors—infusing it with humor through oversized combs, a nod to beauty and kabuki stage props. Printed in the sumizuri-e style (monochr...
About the Artist
Okumura Masanobu · 1686–1764
Japanese, 1686–1764