Shobutsu Maru (the young Benkei) Holding a Bamboo Pole with Shinto Strips and Protruding Weapons
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
- Art of Japan
Shobutsu Maru, another of the youthful appellations of the monk-warrior Benkei, is shown holding a bamboo pole decorated with shide (Shinto paper streamers) and bristling with various weapons — a characteristically eccentric image of spiritual-martial preparation. The combination of Shinto ritual elements (the purification streamers) with embedded swords and tools speaks to Benkei's ambiguous position between religious vocation and warrior identity. Kuniyoshi's depictions of the young Benkei consistently emphasize this productive contradiction.
Woodblock print
c. 1828/30
Color woodblock print; surimono
Woodblock print
Woodblock print
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Shobutsu Maru (the young Benkei) Holding a Bamboo Pole with Shinto Strips and Protruding Weapons was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (歌川国芳).
Shobutsu Maru (the young Benkei) Holding a Bamboo Pole with Shinto Strips and Protruding Weapons depicts warriors and trees.