Shoki Banner
Matsukawa Hanzan
1864
Medium
Color woodblock print; surimono
Dimensions
24.8 × 18.2 cm (9 13/16 × 7 3/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
42508
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
In this print, a portrait of the demon slayer Shoki appears on a fluttering banner. Raising a sword in his right hand, he wards off attackers with his outstretched left hand. Banners featuring Shoki traditionally appeared at the Boys’ Day festival, partly to celebrate the boys in a family and partly to guard against disease. Both Shoki and the color red were believed to be effective barriers against common and often deadly diseases like smallpox. In addition to illustrating many books, Hanzan a...