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Three Poles, from the series Elegant Parodies of Comic Plays
Three Poles, from the series Elegant Parodies of Comic Plays

Three Poles, from the series Elegant Parodies of Comic Plays

Artist/Maker (Japanese, 1760–1849)
Publisher
Date1790
MediumColor woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
DimensionsVertical koban; overall: 8 3/8 × 5 15/16 in. (21.3 × 15.1 cm)
Credit LineMary A. Ainsworth Bequest
PortfolioElegant Parodies of Comic Plays (Furyu mitate kyogen)
Object number1950.706
Status
Not on view
More Information
This comic scene of three chubby boys holding three poles is one of a series that depicts reenactments of scenes for the comic theater kyōgen. This one references the play San bon no hashira, or The Three Poles, in which a master orders his three servants to return home carrying two poles per person. However, there are only three poles altogether, forcing the servants to come up with this creative solution.
Exhibition History
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
  • Chiba City Museum of Art, Chiba, Japan (April 13, 2019 - May 25, 2019 )
  • Shizuoka City Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan (June 8, 2019 - July 28, 2019 )
  • Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka, Japan (August 10, 2019 - September 29, 2019 )
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (January 14, 2020 - December 6, 2020 )
Collections
  • Asian
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator. Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us.