Susano-o no Mikoto Killing the Eight-headed Dragon
Medium
Color woodblock print; hosoban
Dimensions
31.9 × 4.7 cm (12 9/16 × 1 7/8 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
19386
Art Historical Context
In the vibrant world of 18th-century Japanese ukiyo-e prints, Torii Kiyomasu II's *Susano-o no Mikoto Killing the Eight-headed Dragon* (1748) captures a thrilling moment from ancient Shinto mythology. The heroic storm god Susano-o, brother of the sun goddess Amaterasu, battles the fearsome eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi, a tale from the *Kojiki* chronicle symbolizing the triumph of order over chaos. This narrow hosoban-format woodblock print, measuring just 31.9 × 4.7 cm, was designed for easy display or distribution, reflecting the era's booming print culture. Torii Kiyomasu II, a mas...
About the Artist
Torii Kiyomasu II · 1706–1763
At one point this artist was incorrectly identified as Kiyonobu II.