Thirty-Six Beauties, Good and Evil (Zen’aku sanjūroku bijin): Tamamono Mae

Maker(s)
Artist: Toyohara Kunichika 豊原国周 (1835-1900)
Historical period(s)
Meiji era, 1876
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (overall): 35.3 x 23.5 cm (13 7/8 x 9 1/4 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
The Anne van Biema Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S2004.3.318
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
Anne van Biema collection, bijinga, fan, Japan, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), oban, woman
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Orange rays radiate from the evil court lady, Tamamo no Mae, as she raises an open fan. This powerful image represents a manifestation in human form of a supernatural, nine-tailed fox that transformed itself repeatedly into beautiful women and enchanted the emperors of India, China, and Japan. According to a Japanese legend set in the Heian period (794-1185), Tamamo no Mae served at the imperial court where she practiced her evil until she was stopped by the power of a Buddhist priest. The light that appeared around her head at night betrayed her supernatural power. Legends of Tamamo no Mae were well known to nineteenth-century Japanese audiences through puppet plays, illustrated novels, and kabuki plays.

Published References
  • At the Museums. vol. XLIX, no. 1, 2003. p. 71.
  • Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 100, pp. 256-257.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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