heh-- it's actually the left third of a triptych so politically charged the artist got into trouble for it:
"This print was taken by the authorities as a satire against the government and created a lot of trouble. There is little doubt that Kuniyoshi indeed intended it as a protest against the rigid oppressions that the ruling Shogunate was enforcing upon the hapless middle and lower classes. In this light the Ground Spider and his demons are to be seen as representing the spirit of popular revolt, while the sick Raiko is the ineffectual Shogun, and the warriors represent hard-hearted ministers and the Chief Censor. The print was seized and the blocks destroyed; as a consequence an impression of the original is very rare. It was issued at least twice more by pirate publishers working from recut blocks."
The kids in our village in the Cotswolds came round trick-or-treating with the following rhyme (don't ask why the Canadian input, it's far too complicated!):
Trick or treat Smell my feet Give me something good to eat Not too big Not too small Just as big as Montreal
People in England thing Halloween trick-or-treat is a new import from the USA, which is true in a sense, but the origins are in England, where it was called Mischief Night or Punky Night.
oh that's so interesting! -- i mean about the trick or treat part. i think that if i'd ever thought of it, i'd have figured england... i mean originally originally--druids or something
hi, and thanks so much for stopping by. i spend all too much time thinking my own thoughts about this stuff, so please tell me yours. i thrive on the exchange!
Fantastique!
ReplyDeleteA bientôt...:)
boo!
ReplyDeleteeek!
ReplyDeletepignouf--is halloween practiced elsewhere in the world?
ReplyDeleteNightmarish!
ReplyDeleteheh-- it's actually the left third of a triptych so politically charged the artist got into trouble for it:
ReplyDelete"This print was taken by the authorities as a satire against the government and created a lot of trouble. There is little doubt that Kuniyoshi indeed intended it as a protest against the rigid oppressions that the ruling Shogunate was enforcing upon the hapless middle and lower classes. In this light the Ground Spider and his demons are to be seen as representing the spirit of popular revolt, while the sick Raiko is the ineffectual Shogun, and the warriors represent hard-hearted ministers and the Chief Censor. The print was seized and the blocks destroyed; as a consequence an impression of the original is very rare. It was issued at least twice more by pirate publishers working from recut blocks."
The kids in our village in the Cotswolds came round trick-or-treating with the following rhyme (don't ask why the Canadian input, it's far too complicated!):
ReplyDeleteTrick or treat
Smell my feet
Give me something good to eat
Not too big
Not too small
Just as big as Montreal
People in England thing Halloween trick-or-treat is a new import from the USA, which is true in a sense, but the origins are in England, where it was called Mischief Night or Punky Night.
oh that's so interesting! -- i mean about the trick or treat part. i think that if i'd ever thought of it, i'd have figured england... i mean originally originally--druids or something
ReplyDelete