Title: Tanuki no Majutsu Makimono (The Magic of the Tanuki Picture Scroll), 1928. A Delightful Emakimono Tale of a Raccoon, with Numerous Painted Scenes of a Comical Nature, and Several Hell Scenes, including a Demonic Procession
Author: Kawai Gyokudō
Condition: Very Good
An Early Showa Period, early 20th century manuscript handscroll entitled Tanuki no Majutsu Makimono. or The Magic of the Tanuki Picture Scroll. A rather unique and comical narrative, the tale begins and focuses on our titular character, a racoon causing a ruckus and trouble about the town, being chased by townspeople while thieving objects. It then shifts to various scenes of dance and merriment, as well as the unusual inclusion of a Hyakki Yagyo, or the Night Parade of 100 Demons, with a demonic procession of several yokai and oni. There is also a funerary scene, and the deceased spirit mocking the mourners, before being roughly dragged into Naraka and being tortured by several mighty oni, alongside other souls.
The emakimono is signed Gyukudo, which appears to be that for the nihonga artist Kawai Gyokudō (1873-1957), active throughout the Meiji and Showa Periods. The eldest son of a paper, ink and brush merchant, he entered the school of Mochizuki Gyokusen in Kyoto, where he was given the name "Gyokusyu". He went to Kyoto in 1887 to study under Kōno Bairei of the Maruyama-Shijo school of painting. In 1890, when he exhibited his work at the Industrial Exposition, he changed his name to "Gyokudo" after Gyokusen's name Tama and his grandfather's name Chikudo. In 1896, he moved to Tokyo and he became the student of Hashimoto Gahō, of the Kanō school. He also studied Western-style painting and developed a highly personal style, especially in the field of landscape painting.
The paintings have been laid down and bound in hand scroll format, with brocade decorated covers of green, with blue flowering swirls, and jikusai (knobs), made of lacquered wood. There is a wooden box to accompany the scroll, preserving the contents, and there is a slipcase.
One emakimono (picture scroll) on paper, 25.7 x 1419 cm
This manuscript handscroll is in very good shape, with minor rubbing and wear to the covers. There are a few minor creases.