Title
Contemporary tale of the three heroes
1860
Artist
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Details
- Other Titles
- (Tatooed man)
Contemporary tale of the three villains - Alternative title
- Tôsei Sangoku-shi
- Place where the work was made
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Japan
- Period
- Ansei era 1854 - 1860 → Edo (Tokugawa) period 1615 - 1868 → Japan
- Date
- 1860
- Media category
- Materials used
- woodblock print; ink and colour on paper
- Dimensions
- 35.0 x 24.3 cm
- Signature & date
Signed c.l., in Japanese, ink [incised on block] "Toyokuni ga [picture by Toyokuni]".
Not dated.- Credit
- Bequest of Kenneth Myer 1993
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 598.1993
- Copyright
- Artist information
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Utagawa Kunisada/Toyokuni III
Works in the collection
- Share
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About
The man in this image is the kabuki actor Kawarasaki Gonjuro (later known as Ichikawa Danjuro IX) playing Liu Bei, one of the three heroes of the Chinese novel 'Romance of the three kingdoms'. His tattoos show peonies and lions, an old design that originated in China. In legend, lions are attracted to peonies which symbolise wealth and power. The peony was also one of Gonjuro's crests. The bats on the fan, an indicator of summer, represent good luck.
The print was designed by Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III), who was one of the most popular and prolific ukiyo-e artists at the end of the Edo period. -
Places
Where the work was made
Japan
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Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Heroes and Villains, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 19 May 2001–19 Aug 2001
Outlaw, Art Gallery of New South Wales, North Building, Sydney, 03 Dec 2022–06 Jun 2023
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Bibliography
Referenced in 3 publications
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AJIOKA Chiaki (Curator), Heroes and villains: from Japan's floating world, Sydney, May 2001, 6. cat.no. 1.18
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Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The Floating World', Sydney, 2003, 254 (colour illus.).
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Public Programmes Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales and The Japan Foundation (Editors), Art speaks Japanese: Japanese language education kit from the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2007, colour illus.. card no. 11
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