The Cave Door of Spring

春磐戸

1825

Totoya Hokkei 魚屋北渓

(Japanese, 1780–1850)

View all records in artwork set

Culture

Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

Medium

pentaptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper

Measurements

Each: 18.8 x 21.4 cm (7 3/8 x 8 7/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of James Parmelee 1940.990

You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Location

Not on view

Description

These prints form a composition inspired by a story about the deity Amaterasu. She was once so offended by her brother that she retreated into a cave, leaving the earth in darkness. Several attempts to lure her out with cocks crowing, music-making, and a goddess dancing failed, but a mirror hung from a nearby tree made Amaterasu curious, bringing her to the entrance of the cave. A stone was quickly placed at the entrance to block her way back into the cave, and light was restored to the world. The scene across the prints is unified by embossed clouds enriched with gold, silver, and copper.