Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"
Original title: Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"
kurzbeschreibung
A monk in a red robe leans against a snowy rock face in this 1835–36 print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It shows Nichiren in exile on the island of Sado, from the series 'Illustrations of Famous Monks,' and was issued as a color woodblock print in ink and color on paper.
Description
In the foreground, a monk in a vivid red robe leans against a bare, snow-covered rock wall, wearing a traditional Japanese head covering. Behind him, several houses with shingled roofs stand at the water's edge. Snowflakes fill the sky, and the landscape is rendered in grays and blues—only the robe provides a red accent.
Context
The Japanese Buddhist Nichiren (1222–1282) was exiled to Sado in 1271. Kuniyoshi created the series in the 1830s, when Edo culture saw growing interest in historical and religious figures. The subject follows the conventions of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, which was also used for historical themes.
Impact
The quiet arrangement and wintry mood emphasize the monk's solitude. A contrast between the red robe and the cold blues and grays draws attention to the central figure and gives the print a meditative aura.
Technique
The print was made as a woodblock print with ink and colors on paper. Clear contours and flat areas of color characterize 19th-century Japanese woodblock technique. The oban format (about 24.8 x 37.5 cm) was common for single-sheet prints of the period.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)