Japanese woodblock print of Takasago
Forani Collection
Cat. No: IN10-1493

Japanese wood-block print of Takasago. 20th century, Japan. Acquired: Paris.

Note. The story behind this picture is told in the Noh play Takasago by the inventor of Noh, Zeami Motokiyo (1364-1443). It tells of an old peasant couple who are transformed at death by their undying love into two pine trees, one at Takasago at the mouth of the Kakogawa river on the Inland Sea, and the other at Suminoe (present day Sumiyoshi) in Osaka. The story is a common subject of folk art, the couple shown standing together under a pine-tree as they are here, Uba, the old woman holding a broom, and Joo, the old man holding a rake. Reference to the story is a traditional feature of marriage celebrations, where the couple is usually accompanied by the crane as well as the minogame (hair tailed turtle).

Photo: John Noone IMG_0432.jpg