Title: Ōeyama Shuten Oni Emaki Jōkan (Oeyama Shuten Oni Picture Scroll, Volume One of Two), Circa 1600-1700. A Sumptuously Produced Nara Emaki, with Thirteen Monumental and Beautifully Illuminated Paintings, of this Tale of the Oni King
Author: After Kano Motonobu; Kano or Sumiyoshi School
Condition: Very Good
An Early Edo Period, 17th century emakimono handscroll, being the first of two volumes for the Ōeyama Shuten Oni Emaki, or the Oeyama Shuten Oni Picture Scroll, being the Tale of Shuten Doji. Though possibly older, the oldest surviving text of the legend is recorded in the 14th century Ōeyama Ekotoba, which was then widely reprinted and reproduced over the centuries.
The tale follows an account of how the legendary hero Minamoto no Raikō, or Yorimitsu, slew Shuten Doji, the demon king of Japan, and although decapitated, the demon's detached head still took a bite at the hero, who avoided death by wearing multiple helmets stacked on his head.
This copy is a sumptuously produced, and rather monumental Nara Emaki handscroll, with thirteen monumental paintings in between the text, which are positively gargantuan in length, with the first example alone being 76 cm in length. Each painting has been produced on fine torinoko paper and beautifully decorated with profuse usage of gold sprays and clouds to decorate the borders. From the facial features of every figure to the vastly detailed and well wrought backgrounds, every painting is beautifully produced, and you can see the style of the Kano and Sumiyoshi Schools very much at play when we come to the luscious and stunning landscapes, with their craggy mountainscapes and more. Though the paintings and text are not signed, it is clear an extremely skilled member one of those schools worked on this scroll.
The narrative begins when the Emperor commands Minamoto no Raikō and Fujiwara no Hōshōto exterminate the Oni King, followed by gathering their retinue and setting out for departure while disguised as yamabushi priests. We see where Raiko and the Retinue encounter the divine manifestations of Sumiyoshi, Yawata, and Kumano Shrines, disguised as mortals. This follows with a scene where the gods provide them with divine sake to rob the ogres of their wits, and Raiko receives the hoshi kabuto helmet for protection. After this are more landscape scenes of travel, where Raiko and the Retinue must traverse across various obstacles with the help of Sumiyoshi, until we come to the last narrative and painting, where they encounter a hostage working as a laundress, depicted as a younger woman instead of as an older woman like in the old text.
The paintings and calligraphy have been laid down and bound in a scroll format for preservation, with a beautiful brocade decorated cover of gold and blue square patterns, and there are small jikusaki (knobs) made of lacquered wood.
One brocade bound emakimono (picture scroll) on fine paper, 34 x 1774 cm. The knobs are not included as part of the measurement.
This handscroll is in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the brocade fabric, heavier to the ends. There are a few repaired worm tracks to the upper margins at the beginning, as well as some soiling and creasing throughout, less so to the paintings.