Moon-Mad Monk (Kyōgetsubō)
Original title: Moon-Mad Monk (Kyōgetsubō) 狂月坊
kurzbeschreibung
A monk with a fan sits on the ground, flanked by two attendants in traditional dress who kneel at his sides. That grouping shapes Kitagawa Utamaro's print Mondsüchtiger Mönch (Kyōgetsubō), made in 1789 as a woodblock print in ink, color, and brass dust on paper.
Description
In the foreground a monk in Japanese robes squats, holding a fan. Two other figures kneel to either side in similar attire; one grasps a sword hilt. Behind them opens a landscape of waves and trees beneath a moon, with clouds stretching across the sky. Grays dominate the image, lightened by traces of green and brown.
Context
Utamaro made this work in 1789, during the late Edo period, a high point of Japanese woodblock printing. He became famous mainly for portraits of women, but he also took up comic and satirical subjects. The title refers to a popular tale or play about a monk overcome by moon madness.
Impact
The arrangement feels calm yet charged: the figures in front stand out clearly against the richly detailed landscape behind them. Muted colors and strong contours give the print a serious, thoughtful tone that suits the title.
Technique
The print was made as a color woodblock print in ink, color, and brass dust on paper. The metallic sheen of the brass dust serves as an accent, likely on the sword hilt or the moon. Clean lines and flatly applied colors are typical of Japanese woodblock printing.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)