Title
A Buddhist monk receives cassia seeds on a moonlit night, from the series One hundred aspects of the moon
June 1891
Artist
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Details
- Alternative title
- Bonsō tsukiyo ni keishi o uku
- Place where the work was made
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Japan
- Period
- Meiji period 1868 - 1912 → Japan
- Date
- June 1891
- Media category
- Materials used
- colour woodblock; ōban
- Dimensions
- 39.0 x 26.0 cm
- Signature & date
Signed and dated.
- Credit
- Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 258.2012.93
- Copyright
- Artist information
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Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Works in the collection
- Share
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About
This figure of an 'arhat' ('luohan' in Chinese; 'rakan' in Japanese), a Buddhist who has achieved enlightenment, is catching cassia seeds in his begging bowl as they fall from the moon, which, if eaten, provide immortality. The story of the magical cassia ('katsura') trees on the moon are from Chinese and Japanese legend (see 258.2012.26 'Cassia-tree moon'). This 'arhat' has a brilliant moon as his halo, long ears that signify his wisdom, and numerous characteristics that imply cross-cultural inspirations, such as his Chinese robe decorated with dragon medallions and lotus flowers, and his Indian sandals. He has features that may make him Indian, for example his beard, and this is perhaps an allusion to Daruma (Bodhidharma), who travelled from India to China to teach Buddhism.
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Places
Where the work was made
Japan
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Exhibition history
Shown in 1 exhibition
Yoshitoshi: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 20 Aug 2016–20 Nov 2016
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Bibliography
Referenced in 3 publications
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Yuriko Iwakiri, Yoshitoshi Tsuki hyakushi (Yoshitoshi’s One hundred aspects of the moon), Tokyo, 2010. General reference; Another edition was reproduced
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John Stevenson, Yoshitoshi's One hundred aspects of the moon, Seattle, 1992, (colour illus.). cat.no.93; Another edition was reproduced
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Chris UHLENBECK, Yoshitoshi: masterpieces from the Ed Freis collection, Leiden, 2011, 135-136. General reference; Another edition was reproduced
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