About This Print
One of 261 prints from the series Nōgakuzue (Illustrations of Noh). The print depicts a scene from the play Ominameshi. A traveling priest is shown on stage while offstage a scene of a river with ominameshi flowers on its bank is pictured. (See story below.)
The Play - Ominameshi
Author: Unknown. Although often attributed to Zeami (1363?-1443?), there is no clear evidence for this.
Source: A Guide to No, P.G. O'Neill, Hinoki Shoten, 1929, p. 133-134.
Characters:
Act 1:Waki - A traveling priestShite - an old manKyōgen - a local person
Act 2:Nochi-tsure - the spirit of the wife of YorikazeNochi-shite - The spirit of Yorikaze
The travelling priest comes to Otoko-yama and, seeingsome yellow omina-meshi flowers blooming there, is about to break off a spraywhen he is stopped by an old man. Hetalks to the priest about the flowers and then takes him to see two moundswhere a man named Yorikaze and his wife lie buried. Saying that they are connected with theomina-meshi flower, he disappears. Inthe second act, the spirits of Yorikaze and his wife appear and relate thestory of their deaths. As a result ofYorikaze’s unkindness, the priest is told, his wife drowned herself in theriver. Yorikaze buried her in a moundand from it grew omina-meshi flowers. Grief-stricken at her death, he too drowned himself and was buried inthe second mound beside that of his wife.
Right Margin Description of Scene
click on image to enlarge
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1048 |
| Title | Ominameshi 女郎花 (Maiden Flower or Damsel Flower) |
| Series | Nōgakuzue 能樂圖繪 (Illustrations of Noh) |
| Artist | Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) |
| Signature | Kōgyo 耕漁 |
| Seal |  |
| Date | This collection's print was issued in Meiji 32, 1899, as follows: Date of Printing: November 5, 1899 (Meiji 32) 明治三十二年十一月五日印刷 Date of Issuance: trimmed from this print, but likely November 15, 1899. 明治三十二年十一月十五日発行 The ARC database entry for their print arcUP1020 carries the same dates as this collection's print, as follows: 明治三十二年十一月五日印刷仝年仝月十五日発行 Printed on November 5, 1899; Issued on November 15, 1899 |
| Edition | unknown |
| Publisher | Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya Heikichi 大黒屋平) [Marks: pub. ref. 029] 日本橋区吉川町二番地 松木平吉 (in left margin) followed by Daikokuya seal. Publisher's information is trimmed from this print. |
| Carver | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - light album backing; small wormhole top right margin into image repaired from back; wrinkling along left 1/3 of print caused by backing paper |
| Genre | ukiyo-e |
| Miscellaneous | embossing within the yellow cartouche; burnishing for lacquer-like effect in priest's hat. |
| Format | oban yoko-e |
| H x W Paper | 9 5/8 x 14 1/4 in. (24.4 x 36.2 cm) |
| H x W Image | 8 7/8 x 12 7/8 in. (22.5 x 32.7 cm) area within printed black border |
| Collections This Print | Art Institute of Chicago 1939.2258.173; Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University AcNo.arcUP1020 CoGNo.arcUP0840 AlGNo.arcUP0840 and AcNo.arcUP0811 CoGNo.arcUP0735 AlGNo.arcUP0735; University of Pittsburgh 20091209-kogyo-0359; Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery of Scripps College 2009.7.23; British Museum 1949,0409,0.15; Japan Arts Council BK014-207 |
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