Sanjo Kantaro II in the Role of Urashima Taro
- Medium
- hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
- Dimensions
- Painting only: 105.7 x 59.4 cm (41 5/8 x 23 3/8 in.); Including mounting: 189.2 x 64.7 cm (74 1/2 x 25 1/2 in.)
- Genre
- painting
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art
Styles
Tags
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
About
Sanjo Kantaro II was a Kabuki actor who specialized in playing youths (wakashu) and female roles (onnagata). He is shown here in the role of Urashima Taro. He rescues a tortoise, and as a reward, the tortoise carries him to the undersea palace of the Dragon King. He believes he has spent but three days there with the Dragon King's daughter; however, when he returns to the shore, he finds 300 years have passed. The actor holds a fishing pole, indicating his occupation as a fisherman. The upper portion of the painting contains a 31-syllable waka poem.
