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A Japanese Otsu-e Painting of a Traveling Beggar browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese:Paintings: Pre 1900: item # 701220
Ichiban Japanese & Oriental Antiques Post Office Box 395 Marion, CT 06444-0395 203.272.7392 Guest Book $495.00 |
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This is an excellent otsu-e painting or water color of a Japanese traveling beggar playing a shakuhachi flute. It is mounted on a hard background with a border of silk cloth. Wandering beggar priests known as komuso played this instrument during the Edo period (1615 -1868 ) to solicit donations. As they wandered they wore baskets on their heads as a sign of humility. The otsu-e genre of folk art ranges from themes of good luck to those of happiness and prosperity. The paintings are at once frivolous, light-hearted and disarming, providing an amusing blend of auspicious symbols and social commentary. As such, they have been popular as artwork to display during the New Year festivities. Beginning in the 17th century through to the mid 19th century, these paintings depicted subject matter derived from religion and folk culture. The name otsu-e is derived from the place where these paintings were sold, in and around the post town of Otsu, which lay on the Tokaido Road running between Edo (present day Tokyo) and Kyoto. Stands were set along the road to sell these paintings as souvenirs to passing travelers. Created by anonymous artists, the paintings were sold in great numbers for little money. The framed piece measures 36 ½” by 16 ½” – image size is 29” by 10”. It is in excellent condition. |
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