Lot 140
**Originally Listed At $350**
East Asia, Japan, Meiji period, ca. early 20th century CE. A striking tribute to Japan's classical stage, this early 20th century silk-mounted scroll presents two hand-colored woodblock print scenes from the Noh plays "Kureha" and "Kumasaka". Each print captures the spiritual intensity and formal elegance of Noh theater, rendered in delicate pigments and flowing linework. The upper scene features the divine weaver Kurehatori from the play "Kureha", shown in the final act as she performs a dance in tribute to imperial peace. According to early Japanese chronicles, Kurehatori and her sister Ayahatori were sent from China during the reign of Emperor Ojin to introduce refined textile techniques to the Japanese court. In the drama, a court official on pilgrimage meets the two women, who later vanish after revealing their divine nature. Size of each print: 10.4" W x 8.5" H (26.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of scroll: 60.5" L x 17.1" W (153.7 cm x 43.4 cm)
Kurehatori returns alone in spiritual form and offers a dance to honor the Emperor, celebrating the enduring prosperity of his reign. The print captures this luminous final scene, where myth, devotion, and elegance converge in gesture.
In the lower panel, the warrior-ghost Kumasaka no Chohan charges forward, halberd in hand. In the play "Kumasaka", a traveling monk dreams of the notorious bandit reliving his final raid, when he was slain by the young Ushiwakamaru (Minamoto no Yoshitsune). The print depicts the moment of spectral reenactment, with seated witnesses observing from the side as the past surges back into motion.
Mounted on vibrant orange silk with cream-toned borders, this scroll pairs the grace of divine offering with the ferocity of ghostly reckoning - a dual portrait of Noh's emotional and symbolic range. Such works served not only as decorative art but also as visual records of Japan's most enduring theatrical tradition.
Provenance: ex-Jasper collection, Illinois, USA; ex-Dennis Herr collection; ex-Leland Mast collection
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#194931
- Condition: Tearing to mounting paper. Chips, fissures, staining, and creasing to paintings and mounting paper. Imagery still clear with nice pigments.
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|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 + | $500 |