Concise Illustrated Biography of Monk Nichiren: Prayer for Rain Answered at Ryōzengasaki in Kamakura
Original title: Concise Illustrated Biography of Monk Nichiren: Prayer for Rain Answered at Ryōzengasaki in Kamakura
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike the other sheets in Kuniyoshi's Nichiren series, this one does not place the monk in conflict with opponents but captures him at the instant his prayer is answered. Made in 1835–36, the colour woodblock on paper recounts the miracle at Cape Ryōzengasaki near Kamakura.
Description
Nichiren sits on a rocky ledge beneath a red umbrella, which a diagonally stretched branch further frames. Other monks stand around him in postures of prayer and meditation, grouped almost symmetrically about the centre. Behind the figures a rain-swept bay opens out, with mountains and boats; blue dominates the surfaces, grey traces the falling rain, and red is reserved for the umbrella and the main monk's robe.
Context
This sheet belongs to a series Kuniyoshi devoted to the life of Nichiren, founder of Nichiren Buddhism. It tells the traditional rain miracle that the monk is said to have brought about through his prayers. In the late Edo period, woodblock prints with religious and historical subjects found a wide audience.
Impact
The clear layout and sparing colour give the image a calm, solemn mood. The rain and the monk's central position make the spiritual power of the moment palpable without pathos.
Technique
The sheet was printed as an ukiyo-e woodblock in ink and colour on paper. Outlined areas and solid blocks of colour are typical of nineteenth-century Japanese printmaking.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)