Twelve Months: May

Maker(s)
Artist: Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎 (1831-1889)
Historical period(s)
Meiji era, 1887
Medium
Ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W (triptych): 37.3 x 77.1 cm (14 11/16 x 30 3/8 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
The Anne van Biema Collection
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Accession Number
S2004.3.319a-c
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
Anne van Biema collection, Buddhism, demon, Japan, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), oban, rain, tiger, triptych, Zhong Kui
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Astride a tiger, the demon-queller Shoki (Chinese, Zhong Kui) pursues a band of unlucky demons. The title of this print indicates that it might have been intended as one design for a series of twelve triptychs-one for each of the twelve months. Shoki is an appropriate image for May, when the Boys' Festival is held. The inscription repeats the title in English, which was occasionally incorporated into Japanese prints beginning in the 1860s, when consciousness of the world outside Japan, stimulated by the opening of the treaty port of Yokohama near Edo (the center of the publishing industry) made the inclusion of foreign words intriguing to both Japanese and foreign purchasers.

Published References
  • Ann Yonemura, et al. Masterful Illusions: Japanese Prints from the Anne van Biema Collection. Seattle and Washington. cat. 104, pp. 262-263.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use