About This Print
One of 261 prints from the series Nōgakuzue (Illustrations of Noh). The print depicts a scene from the kyōgen Setsubun, in which the demon dances and sings to win the love of the Woman.
For background on the Noh theater see the article on this site "Noh - A Brief Summary by Beata Kubiak Ho-Chi".
Source: A Guide to Kyogen, Don Kenny, Hinoki Shoten, 1968, p. 240.
Ado - Woman
This Kyōgen is closely connected with the Spring holiday of the same name at which time demons and bad spirits are driven out of the house by scattering red beans in all the rooms while chanting, "In with the good, out with the evil."
A Demon has travelled all the way from Hōrai Island, and is very tired. He asks a Woman whose husband is away at the Izumo Shrine to let him rest in her house, and she, being afraid to refuse, lets him in.
The Demon tries to make love to her by singing various songs praising her beauty, etc., and he finally breaks into tears because she won't pay any attention to him. She realizes he is just like a human male, and decides to take advantage of the situation. She tricks him out of his magic straw hat and coat, and then chases him out by throwing beans at him while chanting, "In with the good, out with the evil!"
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1145 |
| Title | Setsubun 節分 (A Demon in Love) |
| Series | Nōgakuzue 能樂圖繪 (Illustrations of Noh) |
| Artist | Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal |  Seal not shown in The Beauty of Silence: Nō and Nature Prints by Tsukioka Kōgyo (1869-1927), Robert Schaap & J. Thomas Rimer, Hotei Publishing, 2010. |
| Date | This collection's print was issued January 28, 1898 as shown in the print's left margin, as follows: Date of Printing: January 20, 1898 (Meiji 31) 明治三十一年一月廿日印刷 Date of Issuance: January 28, 1898 明治三十一年一月廿八日発行 The ARC database entry for their print arcUP0881 carries the same dates as this collection's print. |
| Edition | unknown |
| Publisher |  日本橋区吉川町二番地 松木平吉 (in left margin) followed by Daikokuya seal, as shown on left. |
| Carver | |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | excellent - album backing; full size, light soiling |
| Genre | ukiyo-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | oban yoko-e |
| H x W Paper | 9 13/16 x 14 7/16 in. (24.9 x 36.7 cm) |
| H x W Image | 8 15/16 x 13 3/16 in. (22.7 x 33.5 cm) area within printed black border |
| Collections This Print | Art Institute of Chicago 1939.2258.30 [date noted as 1898]; Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University AcNo.arcUP0881 CoGNo.arcUP0840 AlGNo.arcUP0840; University of Pittsburgh 20091209-kogyo-0201 |
| Reference Literature |
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