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Design for the songlet Dragon Gorges by Takehisa Yumeji — Japanese Woodblock print, ink and color on paper, c. 1930

Design for the songlet Dragon Gorges

by Takehisa Yumeji

Date:
c. 1930
Medium:
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Format:
Oban
Dimensions:
14.8 × 9.5 cm

Description

The design for the songlet "Dragon Gorges" — from around 1930 — features the dragon, that most powerful symbol in East Asian iconography, given Yumeji's distinctive treatment. The dragon in Japanese tradition is associated with water, with imperial power, and with the transformative force of natural phenomena, and Yumeji's engagement with it in the context of a song cover connects the mythological symbol to the emotional world of music and lyric. The gorge setting grounds the dragon in landscape while the music context gives it an additional romantic charge.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Design for the songlet Dragon Gorges was created by Takehisa Yumeji (竹久夢二) in c. 1930.

Design for the songlet Dragon Gorges depicts mythology and animals.

Design for the songlet Dragon Gorges measures 14.8 × 9.5 cm (Oban format).