Tamamo no Mae and the Archer Miura Kuranosuke
1835
Medium
Woodblock print (surimono); ink and color on paper
Dimensions
7 7/8 x 8 3/4 in. (20 x 22.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP1038
Tags
Art Historical Context
In this exquisite woodblock print from 1835, Osaka-based artist Yashima Gaki captures a dramatic moment from Japanese folklore: the enchantress Tamamo no Mae a legendary fox spirit disguised as a court lady, confronted by the skilled archer Miura Kuruke. Created during Japan's Edo period (16151868), the work is a *surimono*—a luxurious, privately commissioned print often produced for New Year's greetings or poetry gatherings. Measuring just 7⅞ × 8¾ inches, its intimate scale and vibrant ink-and-color-on-paper technique highlight Gakutei's mastery of fine lines and subtle gradations, evoking te...
About the Artist
Yashima Gakutei · 1786–1868
Yashima Gakutei (c. 1786–1868), born in Osaka as the illegitimate son of a Tokugawa shogunate samurai named Hirata, adopted the name from his mother's subsequent marriage into the Yashima clan. Little is documented about his early years beyond these familial ties, but he pursued artistic training under the esteemed ukiyo-e masters Totoya Hokkei and Katsushika Hokusai, absorbing their precision in ...