Momotarou　桃太郎

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Lit. Peach Boy. Hero of one of Japan's best-loved tales. A tiny boy discovered inside a large peach soon grows into a strong lad and leaves home to conquer Demon's Island, Onigashima 鬼ヶ島. With the help of three talking animals, a dog, monkey, and pheasant, he defeats the marauding ogres and returns home laden with treasures. The earliest known illustrations are woodcuts from the early 18c, but this soon became a popular theme for illustrators and painters. Momotarou is usually shown as a young boy wearing a headband and jinbaori 陣羽織 (a coat worn over armor) and accompanied by the three animal companions; often he holds a small dumpling, kibidango きびだんご, and a banner.

REFERENCES:

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。