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Sanjo Kantaro II in the Role of Urashima Taro
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSanjo Kantaro II in the Role of Urashima Taro, early 1700s. Kaigetsudō Ando (Japanese, c. 1671–1743). Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper; 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.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Dudley P. Allen Fund and various donors, by exchange, 1961.41
