housou-e　疱瘡絵

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Also *aka-e 赤絵. A woodblock print colored only with shades of red. The color was thought to ward off smallpox housou 疱瘡 and such prints were produced as charms against the disease. Housou-e originated in China and first appeared in Japan in the early decades of the 17c, but most were produced during the first half of the 19c when smallpox became widespread in Japan. Red-colored *Shouki 鍾馗 and other subjects from folk legends such as *Kintarou 金太郎 and *Momotarou 桃太郎 were associated with physical health and strength, and were popularly depicted by artists such as Utagawa Kunitora 歌川国虎(fl. early 19c), Kuniyasu 国安 (1794-1832) or Kunimaru 国丸 (1794-1829).

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。