Artist:
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Hokusai Katsushika Published by Yohachi Nishimuraya
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Title:
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The RÅben Falls at Åyama in Sagami Province
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Date:
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ca. 1832
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Medium:
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Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
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Dimensions:
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15 Ã 10 5/16 in. (38.1 Ã 26.2 cm) (image, sheet, vertical Åban)
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Credit Line:
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Gift of Mrs. Carl W. Jones in Memory of Her Husband
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Location:
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Gallery 279
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The Buddhist monk RÅben (689-773) was a religious adviser to Emperor ShÅmu. His efforts to establish TÅdai Temple led to his appointment as sÅjÅ (high priest). He was the first of many remarkable priests to hold that exalted position in the countryâs largest and most important Buddhist temple. RÅben is also credited with the founding, in 755, of UkÅsan Daisanji, popularly known as Åyama Temple, in Sagami Province (present-day Kanagawa Prefecture). UkÅ means ârainfallâ and suggests the mountainâs power to bring rain. Like many Buddhist temples, Åyama Temple was constructed on an ancient Shinto site. The shrine associated with the complex was called Afuri Shrine. A waterfall that issues from the mountain came to be called RÅben Falls, as noted here in the title cartouche.
This image shows pilgrims performing ritual purification (mizugori) in RÅben Falls before ascending the mountain to visit Åyama Temple edifices. Many of them carry long wooden sword-like objects, a custom recalling the warrior Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), who is said to have had a wooden sword purified at the temple in hopes that this would ensure victory in battle. The pilgrimsâ âswords,â which are inscribed with prayers, would have been offered at the temple following the ritual ablutions illustrated here.
Artist/Creator(s)
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Name:
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Katsushika, Hokusai
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Nationality:
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Japanese
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Life Dates:
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Japanese, 1760 - 1849
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Name:
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Nishimuraya, Yohachi
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Role:
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Publisher
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Nationality:
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Japanese
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Life Dates:
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Japanese
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Object Description
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Inscriptions:
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[??????] {saki no Hokusai Iitsu hitsu} Censor seal: [?] {kiwame}
Publisher seal: Eijudo
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Classification:
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Prints
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Physical Description:
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omohan ai-zuri
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Creation Place:
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Asia, Japan, , ,
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Accession #:
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P.13,728
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Owner:
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The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
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