Page 298 - Edo: Art in Japan, 1615–1868

155

297

155 by the ufeiyoe artist Hishikawa Moro- Mount Fuji, floating independently
Hanegawa Tóei (active last half nobu (c. 1618-1694); the subject above this perspectival scheme, is in
of eighteenth century) thereafter became a popular spectacle counterpoint to the dramatic banner
Korean Mission for floating-world artists and fell displaying the Korean dragon in the
within the purview of popular, not foreground. Both are painted in mono-
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper elite, culture. chrome, while the colorful throng of
3
69.7 x 91.2 (27 /s x 35 7s)
Kobe City Museum, Hyógo According to its box, this scroll shows spectators contrasts with the sober
dignity of the
procession.
the tenth mission, which took place
• This unusual cityscape documents in 1748. The Koreans are seen pro- Of the artist, Hanegawa Tóei, little is
an aspect of Tokugawa political life: ceeding from their lodgings at Asa- known. Also called Tósui, he is thought
the congratulatory diplomatic mis- kusa Honganji toward Edo Castle. to have been a pupil of Hanegawa
sions sent to Korea or Japan whenever The city of Edo was oriented so that Chinchó (1679 -1754)- Tóei clearly is
a new Korean king or Japanese shogun certain streets afforded proper pro- indebted to the influence of Okumura
assumed office. These large pageants spects of Mount Fuji, and missions Masanobu (1686-1764), who is credited
included from three hundred to five were routed down these streets. The with the popularization of vanishing-
hundred people. The first surviving theatricality of this scene, therefore, point perspective about the middle
depiction of such a mission dates to is no accident, and it is enhanced by of the eighteenth century. MT
shortly after Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's the newly introduced western tech-
accession in 1680 and was executed nique of single-point perspective;
here the buildings create the vanish-
ing point. The national symbol of