魚屋北渓 鬼若丸の鯉退治 すりもの錦絵 江戸時代

The carp has a variety of meanings in the cultures of Japan and China. In this print by the prominent surimono artist Totoya Hokkei, the fish does not carry its conventional symbolism of success through perseverance. Rather, it appears as the vicious opponent of the twelfth-century hero Musashibō Benkei, called “Oniwakamaru” in his youth. According to one legend, Oniwakamaru took revenge on the monstrous creature after it had swallowed his mother at Lake Koike. Just as Kabuki actors would dramatically freeze their action at the height of the performance,
here Hokkei evokes a theatrical stop-action pose to memorialize the moment of the warrior’s triumph. The lavish decoration of the waves in silver mica and of Oniwakamaru’s hilt in gold powder moreover emphasizes the action of the scene.