Saturday, 9 September 2017

80 - Kuniyoshi: Mongaku Shônin


Ukiyo-e. Kuniyoshi. Mongaku Shônin.
Kuniyoshi: Mongaku Shônin

The title of this print by Kuniyoshi is not entirely right. Strictly, it should be: Not a very lucky day [Sembû - 先負], from the series Kuniyoshi’s Analogies for the Six Conditions of Nature. However, it is sometimes called just Mongaku Shônin. It shows Mongaku Shônin doing penance sitting 37 days under the freezing Nachi waterfall. Printed 1860, although the design might be from 1835.

The small picture shows Seitaka and Kongara, Fudo Myo-o’s two attendants.

The series, Kuniyoshi's Analogies for the Six Conditions of Nature, [Rokuyôsei Kuniyoshi jiman], pairs real and mythical persons with specific days in Japanese astrology.