Descriptive Information

Title

A finished preparatory drawing (hanshita-e) of Urashima Tarō riding a mythical turtle (minogame).

Call Number

E Row 1/GC063/Box 06/Normal/Gillett Griffin Gift GA 2008.01198

Identifier

http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/cn69m426n

Publisher

n.d. [mid-19th c.].

Language

No linguistic content

Date Created

1835-1865

Extent

1 item ; sheet 23.3 x 27.2 cm.

Source Acquisition

Gift of Gillett G. Griffin in honor of Dale Roylance. Given 2008.

Rights Statement

No Known Copyright

Notes

Medium: Ink and color on paper

Artist information: Utagawa Shigetoshi was a minor student of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).

Format: Uchiwa-e (fan print).

Item description: The story of Urashima Tarô has many versions, but the basic story is similar to a combination of Rip Van Winkle and Pandora’s Box. One day the young boy Urashima saves a turtle from being tormented by local children. A few days later while fishing Urashima is visited by the same turtle which thanks him for his kindness and as a reward offers to take him on a ride on his back to an underwater paradise The Palace of Dragon King (Ryûgû). The young boy agrees and is transported on the back of the turtle. After a pleasant stay, Urashima becomes homesick and wants to see his parents again. The queen of this paradise agrees to let him go and gives him a box to take back with him, but tells him he must not open it. Upon his return, Urashima finds that everything has changed and he is unable to find his parents or anyone who remembers him. In despair, he opens the box and Urashima is instantly transformed into an old man of hundreds of years old. Format: Fan print

Provenance: Purchased at one of three 1947 sales at Parke-Bernet or at Gimbels Department Store, New York City.

Signed: Shigetoshi ga.

Discovery Information

Subject

Animals—Japan—In art

Legends—Japan—In art

Mythology, Japanese, in art

Turtles—Japan—In art

Urashima Taro (Legendary character)—Art

Studies (visual works).

Art

Physical Characteristics

File Count

1

Institutional Information

Collection

Selections from the Graphic Arts Collection

IIIF Manifest URL

https://figgy.princeton.edu/concern/scanned_resources/27c56c18-f198-43b6-b95c-eee11eb8b24e/manifest

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