Page 202 - Edo: Art in Japan, 1615–1868

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Fireman's jacket with design of Yoshisada Ichieisei Yoshitsuya (1822-1866)
waues and dragon Fireman's jacket with design o/ Fireman's jacket with design of
dragon and tiger thunder god
Paste-resist dye on
plain-weave cotton, quilted Paste-resist dye on plain-weave cotton, Paste-resist dye on plain-weave
81.9x94(3274x37) quilted, eye-appliquéd with wool and cotton, quilted, eye-appliquéd with
Tokyo National Museum woven gold metallic thread, outlined wool and woven gold metallic
with couched gold metallic thread thread, outlined with couched gold
3
5
• The most powerful of all supernat- 90 x 126 (35 /8X49 /s) metallic thread
ural animals in the Sino-Japanese Tokyo National Museum 94x121.2 (37x472/4)
pantheon, the dragon is here pictured Tokyo National Museum
in the Japanese manner, with a • The tiger was considered the king
camel-like head, flaming beard, deer of beasts in East Asian culture. • The fireman who wore this jacket
antlers, demon eyes, oxlike ears, a Embodying wisdom and resourceful- called on the wild intensity of the god
snake's body, and carp's scales. As he ness as well as strength, when paired of thunder and lightning, Raijin or
swoops down from above on magni- with the rain-making spiritual Raiden, whose joints and muscles are
ficent batlike wings, flames emanate dragon, it became a symbol of terres- stylized in cloudlike patterns that
from his body. Stylized striated trial power. By wearing a jacket with evoke his strength. Dressed in tiger-
waves curl up toward the dragon for the emblems of both creatures, the skin pants and leggings (leopard
a watery collision at the center. fireman appealed to all universal spots were attributed to female tigers
forces, celestial and terrestrial, to at the time), the thunder god wears a
The dragon came in four varieties: come to his assistance. HG cloud-pattern robe designed after
protector of gods, ruler of rain and imperial dragon robes of China, and
wind, protector of dwellings and pro- beats on a circle of connected drums
ducer of water sources, and lord of to drive away evildoers. Emanating
precious stones and metals. In this around him are pale red streaks of
design the dragon's breath becomes
lightning with misty clouds swirling
clouds that pour forth rain to aid between bolts. HG
the fireman. HG