The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 19, 2025
The Strange Occurrence of Ukiyo Matahei and his Famous Paintings
1853
(Japanese, 1797–1861)
Overall: 37.8 x 26.4 cm (14 7/8 x 10 3/8 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.1160.b
Location: Not on view
Description
In this image, otsu-e folk heroes have seemingly come to life, leaving their shadowy figures in the paintings in front of the artist. Included among them are a demon (oni), a monkey, the wisteria maiden, and the bald, tall-headed God of Longevity, Fukurokuju. Ukiyo Matahei, also known as Iwasa Matabei, was a famous printmaker who is also thought to have been a painter of otsu-e.- ?–1916Mr. Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857–1926] and Mrs. Ellen Garretson Wade [1859–1917], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art1916–The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Visions of Japan: Prints and Paintings from Cleveland Collections. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (December 12, 2004- April 10, 2005).A Memorial Exhibition of the Work of Utagawa Kuniyoshi on the 100th Anniversary of His Death. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN (organizer) (December 1-31, 1961).
- {{cite web|title=The Strange Occurrence of Ukiyo Matahei and his Famous Paintings|url=false|author=Utagawa Kuniyoshi|year=1853|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1160.b