Height: 952.000 mm Width: 447.000 mm William Anderson Collection
Asia JA JP 756 (1881.12-10.01732) Kō Sūkei, Shrine Festival, a
hanging scroll painting Edo period, late 18th -early 19th
century AD A tree is being carried along in a large basket,
suspended from poles carried on several men's shoulders. Its
branches are festooned with gohei (strips of white paper which
symbolize sacredness in the native Japanese religion, Shintō),
resembling flowers. Most of the crowd of men around the tree are
wearing eboshi hats and suikan (loose white jackets). The two
leaders are wearing kamishimo (old-style ceremonial dress) and
are carrying two swords each. This is all typical dress for a
festival or sacred rite. Sūkei has given the men a great variety
of postures and expressions, helping to convey the sense of
growing excitement and anticipation among the participants.
Sūkei (1760-1817) belonged to the Hanabusa school, which was
started by Hanabusa Itchō (1652-1724) as a more populist branch
of the academic Kanō school.