A Painting of a Hare and a Badger

Hishikawa Sôri (mentioned on object), 1807

Op een kamerscherm zijn een haas en een tanuki (Japanse das) afgebeeld. Ze bevechten elkaar met peddels, hetgeen refereert aan het verhaal van de Knisperende berg (Kachikachi yama), waarin een haas wraak neemt op een das door hem met een roeispaan te vermoorden. Prent voor het jaar van de haas, 1807.

  • Artwork typeprint, surimono
  • Object numberRP-P-1991-555
  • Dimensionsheight 138 mm x width 186 mm
  • Physical characteristicsnishikie, with metallic pigments and blindprinting

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Hishikawa Sôri (mentioned on object), 1802

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Hishikawa Sôri (mentioned on object), after 1803

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Hishikawa Sôri

A Painting of a Hare and a Badger

Japan, 1807

Provenance

…; purchased from the dealer C.P.J. van der Peet Japanese Prints, Amsterdam, by J.H.W. Goslings (1943-2011), Epse, near Deventer, 1984;1Coll. cat. Goslings 1999, p. 56, cat. no. 123 by whom donated to the museum, 1991

Object number: RP-P-1991-555

Credit line: Gift of J.H.W. Goslings, Epse

Context

It is possible that the poet Senro Ichimaru owned the lzumiya brothel in the New Yoshiwara.

The artist

Biography

Hishikawa Sori, previously Tawaraya Soji, also used the name Hyakurin, was a pupil of Katsushika Hokusai, who received the name Sori (III) in 1798.

Entry

A framed painting of a hare and a badger, both dressed as human beings and holding oars. The character for 'rice field', ta, and a decoration of ginkgo leaves can be seen on the badger's clothing. The hare's clothes have the Mimasumon, the crest comprising three rice measures used by the Ichikawa family of kabuki actors as well as the character for 'flowers', hana.

The illustration is based on the story The Crackling Mountain, Kachikachi yama (cf. A.B. Mitford, Tales of Old Japan, 211-14), where a hare takes revenge on a badger for murdering his master's wife. Imitating the hare, the badger has built a boat, but has used clay instead of wood. Naturally, the boat dissolves soon after they cast off, whereupon the hare kills the badger with his paddle.

One poem by Senro Ichimaru.

Issued by the poet
Signature reading: Hishikawa Sori ga

Literature

M. Forrer, Surimono in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Leiden 2013, no. 121

Citation

M. Forrer, 2013, 'Hishikawa Sôri, A Painting of a Hare and a Badger, Japan, 1807', in Surimono from the Goslings Collection in the Rijksmuseum, online coll. cat. Amsterdam: https://data.rijksmuseum.nl/200467470

(accessed 29 November 2025 10:27:20).

Footnotes

  • 1Coll. cat. Goslings 1999, p. 56, cat. no. 123