YAMAMOTO SHOUN: THE KACHI-KACHI MOUNTAIN

拍品描述

YAMAMOTO SHOUN: THE KACHI-KACHI MOUNTAIN By Yamamoto Shoun (1870-1965), signed with the artist’s red seal Japan, early 20th century Color woodblock print on paper. Firmly mounted on passepartout. Signed with the artist’s red seal; publisher Daikokuya (Matsuki Heikichi). Title Kachi-kachi Yama (The Kachi-Kachi Mountain). The rabbit is secretly placing a flint behind the raccoon dog who is shown carrying a bag on its waist that says, ‘Beware of Fire,’ but it's all in vain. Image SIZE 24 x 23 cm, SIZE incl. mounting 34.6 x 36.5 cm Kachi-kachi Yama (roughly translating to "Crackling Mountain," from the onomatopoeic sound of fire and "yama" meaning mountain) is a classic Japanese folktale from the Otogizoshi collection of the late Muromachi period, recounting a tale of trickery, murder, and retribution between anthropomorphic animals and an elderly couple. In the story, a malicious tanuki (raccoon dog) terrorizes an old farmer by destroying his crops, leading to its capture; the tanuki then deceives the farmer's wife into releasing it, kills her, disguises itself as her, and serves her remains as soup to the unwitting husband before fleeing. The farmer enlists a rabbit—often depicted as a clever hero in Japanese lore—to exact revenge: the rabbit torments the tanuki by rubbing its back with burning sticks (producing the "kachi-kachi" sound, hence the title) under the pretense of applying medicinal ointment, and later tricks it into drowning during a boat race by making the tanuki's vessel from mud while using a sturdy wooden one. The tale exemplifies the tanuki's dual role in Japanese folklore as both a shape-shifting trickster and, unusually here, a villain deserving punishment, contrasting with its more benevolent portrayals elsewhere; this narrative underscores themes of justice prevailing over deceit and cruelty. Popularized in the Edo period through woodblock prints and storytelling, Kachi-kachi Yama has influenced modern media, such as anime and children's books, while a real-life Mount Kachi Kachi near Lake Kawaguchi—named after the tale—serves as a scenic viewpoint with folklore-themed attractions. Yamamoto Shoun (1870-1965) was a Japanese print designer, painter, and illustrator. He was born in the city of Kochi, into a family of retainers of the shogun and was given the name Mosaburo. As a teenager, he studied Kano-school painting with Yanagimoto Doso and Kawada Shoryu. At about age 17, he moved to Tokyo, where he studied Nanga painting with Taki Katei. At 20 years of age, he was employed as an illustrator for Fugoku gaho, a pictorial magazine dealing with the sights in and around Tokyo. In his latter career, Shoun primarily produced paintings. In addition to his magazine illustrations, Shoun is best known for his woodblock prints of beautiful women and a group of humorous shikishiban. Museum comparison: A closely related print, with an identical artist’s seal, is in the collection of the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S2003.8.3347.

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