Title: Shuten-Doji Emaki (The Tale of Shuten Doji), Circa 1800-1850. A Disbound Emakimono Handscroll of The Killing of the Oni King, In Ten Paintings
Artist: After Kano Motonobu
Condition: Very Good
A Late Edo Period, early to mid 19th century manuscript edition of the Shuten-doji Emaki, also known as 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 an unbound narrative in ten vividly produced paintings, clearly meant to be laid down as a finished emakimono handscroll, but never completed. Though there are less paintings than some other editions, it does encompass the main narrative, from Raiko’s departure for the Oni King’s hideout, to the eventual defeat and dismemberment of the man-eating demon. It also appears to be a fair copy after the 16th century edition of Kano Motonobu, the most popularized edition from which most Nara Emaki and emakimono copies are usually derived from.
The ten paintings are as followed:
Painting 1: Minamoto-no-Raiko and his Retinue depart disguised as yamabushi priests
Painting 2: Raiko and the Retinue encounter the divine manifestations of Sumiyoshi, Yawata, and Kumano Shrines, disguised as mortals
Painting 3: Raiko and the Retinue cross a bridge together across which Sumiyoshi is
Painting 4: Raiko and the Retinue cross a mountain with the help of sumiyoshi
Painting 5: The gods provide them with divine sake to rob the ogres of their wits, and Raiko receives the hoshi kabuto helmet for protection.
Painting 6: Raiko and his retinue encounter a hostage working as a laundress, depicted as a younger woman instead of as an older woman like in the old text
Painting 7: Raiko and his retinue arrive disguised, greeted by the demon guards
Painting 8: The Oni King welcomes the disguised retinue
Painting 9: A Feast of Demons and Men, Raiko offers divine sake to render the oni and demons unconscious
Painting 10: Raiko and his Retinue dismember Shuten-doji, and he fends off an attack from the severed head of the Oni King
Ten scroll paintings on paper, 17.5 x 49.9 cm per painting
These paintings are in very good shape, with some old wear and creasing to parts of the paper. The fourth painting has four smaller tears to the upper and lower margins, with a bit of loss. The ninth painting has a very small hole, with hardly any loss.